Super 8 Review
I felt like I was on a roller coaster during this adventurous sci-fi movie. Super 8 is set in a small town of Ohio during the summer of 1979. This is a story about a group of middle school aged kids who are shooting a Super-8 movie for a film festival in Cleveland. One evening, while filming their movie, the kids witness a horrific train crash. Initially they think it’s an accident, however after many strange events that begin to occur in their small town, they eventually come to realize that this awful train wreck was not an accident; and that it’s lot worse than they could ever imagine. With writer J.J. Abrams along with producer Steven Spielberg, this is a wonderful and suspenseful movie…hold on, you’ll be on the edge of your seat!
Rating: Four out of five buckets
Release Date: November 22, 2011
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 12+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Excessive
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
Talking Points
Kids that like suspenseful and scary movies, will enjoy this film. There are many different and intriguing elements to the film, which makes it so entertaining. It’s also interesting because the movie is centered around a group of friends filming their own movie.
Through all the drama and suspense there’s a little romance, and some emotional family dynamics to the movie; I had some tears during the film.
This movie is NOT predictable at all. There’s a lot of mysterious parts to film. To name a few; after the train crash they come across these strange white cubes, (which one of the kids takes), after the wreck; people, dogs and electrical things begin to disappear, even the military enter into their small, once quiet town. As the kids in the film are trying to figure out whats going on, so is the audience.
There’s a message of forgiveness and learning how to deal with difficult situations. Joe, (one of the main kids) says, “Bad things happen, but you can still live.” Alice, one of the kids, drives the gang around, even though she’s not old enough. This good spark a parent/child conversation, of what not to do.
Sexual Content: Mild
• There is a little romance between two of the kids, but nothing happens. It’s a sweet and innocent pre-teen crush.
Violent Content: Mild
I found the film to be scary in parts; for example:
• The train wreck was loud and very graphic, with massive explosions. The kids science teacher was involved in the wreck, we see him after the crash; he’s bloody and even threatens the kids.
• The movie that the kids are making is about zombies. When Alice (one of the girls), is playing her part as a zombie, she’s so good, it’s a little creepy.
• Alice’s dad is an alcoholic, scenes with him could disturb kids. Even though he doesn’t physically abuse his daughter, he’s a little scary.
Crude and Profane Language: Excessive
• The kids, especially Charles, one of the main characters, swears consistently throughout the film.
Overall this is an exciting, and thrilling movie. However if you’re children are sensitive to scary movies, it’s not for them. As long as parents and kids are aware of that, I recommend this film for kids ages 12 and up.
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