Super 8

J.J. Abrams teams with his childhood idol, Steven Spielberg, hoping to craft an action-packed adventure that rivals his mentor's masterworks—and very nearly pulls it off. When shooting their latest homemade horror movie, 14-year-old Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney) and his spirited friends witness a horrendous train wreck. As they marvel at the carnage, the military charges into town, and the plot splinters. While the kids continue filming—using the Army's presence as added "production value"—Joe's father (Kyle Chandler), a respected local deputy, investigates compounding mysteries that include the disappearances of numerous electronics, pets, and townspeople. Like Spielberg, Abrams infuses the narrative with warmth, and creates believably innocent, yet brave, child heroes, which gives the dangers they face a real weight and menace. But as it barrels into the third act, the narrative comes off the rails. Plot holes race by, and Chandler's speedy transformation from baffled cop to rampaging action hero is first jarring, then laughable. Where Super 8 shines brightest is in the blossoming love story between Joe and a compelling tomboy poignantly played by Elle Fanning—basically, when kids are being kids, even when confronted by a threat from out of this world.