J.J. Abrams Channels Stephen Spielberg in This Sci-fi Horror Gem
When legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg set out to make Jaws, he did so without the intent to create what would become known as the “summer blockbuster”. But that’s exactly what happened. Over his career, he would deliver many more films in that category, from Raiders of the Lost Ark to E.T. and, of course, Jurassic Park. High-concept, family-oriented films that provided exciting thrills and loads of heart. We even have a term for such movies now: “Spielbergian”.
The man has inspired countless filmmakers over the decades. One such director is J.J. Abrams. Following the success of Lost and Cloverfield—both of which he produced—Abrams sought to make his own mega monster movie…backed by none other than Spielberg himself. That film is Super 8, a sci-fi horror gem that acts as a love letter to the films of Spielberg. And it’s now streaming on Hulu.
What’s Super 8 About?
Set during the summer of 1979, young kid Joe (Joel Courtney) and his friends are attempting to make a zombie movie. On set, he meets Alice (Elle Fanning) and instantly falls head over heels for her. Still dealing with the loss of his mother to a tragic accident, new love and time with friends is exactly what Joe needs. That’s all threatened though when the group is witness to a train crash…a train that contains a monstrous alien creature. Now, with the military locking down the town and the beast rampaging, it’s up to Joe and his crew to save the day.
A Giant Monster Movie with Tremendous Heart
Released in 2011, Super 8 was Stranger Things before any of us had any idea who the Duffer brothers were. A group of boys and one girl they’re all kind of in love with? Check. Monsters? Yep. Military villains? Of course. It’s The Goonies meets E.T. with a sizable dose of horror, and it’s as thrilling as it sounds. Super 8 has more than its fair share of pulse-pounding sequences, made all the more exciting by Abrams’ understanding that the monster is scarier if we catch only glimpses of it.
Yet what makes Super 8 a mint is that Spielbergian touch. At its core, Abrams’ film is a coming-of-age story full of laughter, tears, and tremendous heart. There’s a moment where Alice—brilliantly played by Fanning—practices being a zombie for Joe that captures such genuine young love, it’s impossible not to smile.
Here’s What Others Have Said:
A sci-fi horror film about growing up and learning to let go, Super 8 scares as much as it moves. While it may not quite be on the level of Spielberg’s own work that it aspires to, Abrams comes closer to capturing that Spielbergian sense of movie magic than most.
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