What's it all about? A group of friends on the cusp of adolescence are trying to get their home-made zombie film shot, using their Super 8 camera. One night, they head off to the local train station to film some scenes when an almighty train crash is caused by a man driving his truck onto the tracks, head-on into the apparently military transport. Joe, one of the friends is also trying to come to terms with the loss of his mother and as the train crash site is quarantined and picked over it becomes clear that something extremely secretive and utterly dangerous was on board the train and is now on the loose.
*****
What's it like? In a word, Super. Set in the late 1970's, it is a film rich in nostalgia, while simultaneously giving us edge of your seat thrills. Steven Spielberg was executive producer and his fingerprints are all over it, as director JJ Abrams channels everything from Stand By Me, through ET and Cloverfield into a rich and compelling tale about friendship, loss, growing up and grief.
The manner in which it is shown that Joe has lost his mother is subtly handled, avoiding soap opera melodramatics and throughout the young cast acquit themselves fantastically well, showing maturity and ability beyond their years. In a tale that is predominantly about them as friends (with some sci-fi/creature-feature trappings) the entire success of the film hangs on them and they do not disappoint. It is one of those films where you have to wait a really long time for even a hint at exactly what it is that has escaped, but it is not frustrating, rather it compels the narrative along and draws the audience in. For the uninitiated, director JJ Abrams produced Cloverfield and directed Mission Impossible 3 and Star Trek, so he knows what he is doing in this sphere of film-making and it shows. The script is funny, moving, still and exciting in all of the right places and the story paces itself all the way through to the thrilling, nerve-wracking finale. Heartily recommended.
The manner in which it is shown that Joe has lost his mother is subtly handled, avoiding soap opera melodramatics and throughout the young cast acquit themselves fantastically well, showing maturity and ability beyond their years. In a tale that is predominantly about them as friends (with some sci-fi/creature-feature trappings) the entire success of the film hangs on them and they do not disappoint. It is one of those films where you have to wait a really long time for even a hint at exactly what it is that has escaped, but it is not frustrating, rather it compels the narrative along and draws the audience in. For the uninitiated, director JJ Abrams produced Cloverfield and directed Mission Impossible 3 and Star Trek, so he knows what he is doing in this sphere of film-making and it shows. The script is funny, moving, still and exciting in all of the right places and the story paces itself all the way through to the thrilling, nerve-wracking finale. Heartily recommended.
*****
Should I see it? Well, yes, for it is indeed a fantastic film, one of the best of last year and out on DVD and Bluray now. In terms of what we might make of it as Christians, there is relatively little in the way of thematic elements that should disturb us, although the now-obligatory "just the once" use of the f-word in 12A films remains annoying and unnecessary. The creature once revealed is going to be a bit much for the younger ones, as is the general sense of peril and fear that precedes it, but I would have thought that all but the more delicate of secondary school aged children should be fine. It looks at important issues of grief, childhood and young love as well, all of which would be an excellent opportunity for conversations with your children, if you can get the time to sit down with them to watch it.
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