Midnight Special

source: Midnight Special

"Midnight Special" focuses on a father (Michael Shannon) who goes on the run with his son, Alton (Jaeden Lieberher) who seems to be a conduit channeling earthly and celestial information, as well as being the chosen prophet of a religious cult in rural Texas, from which his wife (Kirsten Dunst) formerly fled. The bulk of the film entails the family's mission to bring Alton to a specific geographical location (for purposes that remain relatively undisclosed until the end) while the FBI, CIA, and US military relentlessly pursue them. To put it straight, I am not typically a sci-fi fan, but Jeff Nichols's "Midnight Special" almost defies the category itself in many ways. The film starts out with a starkly ambiguous premise, and revels in its own ambiguity for the majority of its duration; Nichols keeps a steady hand on the trigger from the opening scene to the visually astounding conclusion, and the audience is kept in a state of contemplation and wonder that never really closes in on itself. In many ways, it's a road film, and in others it is full-blown science fiction-meets-the horror aspects of "Village of the Damned" with shades of David Lynch. The rural backwoods of the south and its rundown gas stations and forlorn meadows and wetlands stand as the backdrop against which the action is set—mostly at night—and Nichols has a keen eye for visuals; it's an aesthetically beautiful movie, artfully shot and eye-catching. Michael Shannon plays a role that is tailored for him in all of his contemplative and quiet idiosyncrasies, while Joel Edgerton is incredibly believable as his Texas state trooper friend helping the mission. Kirsten Dunst turns in a fine performance as his estranged wife, and is emotive and revels in what is a relatively unglamorous but substantive role. Jaeden Lieberher is also fantastic and fittingly precocious at the film's center. I've read some reviews in which audiences have taken issue with the film's conclusion, but I felt it was a thought-provoking and poignant ending to a remarkably enigmatic story. The special effects do become increasingly ambitious as the film's heavier sci-fi elements rear their head, but the effects are well-done, and the visuals that the film ends itself on are truly breathtaking. Overall, "Midnight Special" is a visionary film from a visionary filmmaker through and through. It draws inspiration from a confluence of sources, melding Spielberg-like science fiction with the uncanny nightmarishness of a David Lynch picture. It's visually phenomenal, but, aesthetics aside, is simply an engaging and thought-provoking story that is as otherworldly as it is human. 9/10.

There are 2 kings of bad movies: The ones that are plain bad from the beginning, and you stop watching them rapidly, cutting your losses. The ones that look initially appealing, and turn into an horrible mishmash of meaningless drivel, but in such a way that you stay until the end, hoping for it to get better. (some spoilers here) Midnight Special is the second kind. I'm all for superpowers, aliens, bad government wanting to kill or exploit the gentle benevolent being everybody roots for, but here the story devolves into some incomprehensible emotional junk that looks like a religion propaganda movie, but without the religion. Yuk!

"Midnight Special", USA, Competition.at Berlin 66: Festival Reviews by Alex Deleon: Photo: Midnight Special press conference at Berlin, with Jaeden Lieberher, child star. "Midnight Special" by Jeff Nichols, 37, his fourth feature, featuring Sam Shepard and Kirsten Dunst, Starring Nichols' regular Michael Shannon, and introducing charismatic child actor Jaeden Lieberher, 11. This is high style sci-fi kitch set in the American south with lots of nightime car chases and spooky set pieces like the bombardment from space of a gas station to demonstrate the extraordinary powers of the kid in the back seat with the shining eyes. Extraterrestial children with radiating eyes were first employed in the British sci-fi thriller "Village of the Damned", 1960, and this has since become a standard Scifi cliché to notify audiences that children who radiate optically are not Of This World. The reference to Close Encounters comes at the end when we are treated to a view of extragalactic Space City to which child with glowing eyes will return. This set which looks like a giant tangle of Mobius Strips extending to infinity was pooh-poohed by many hard nosed critics who claimed it was too kitchy. I personally liked it because it added the perfect kitch icing to what is essentially a high-kitch layer cake with style to burn. Everybody wants a piece of this kid with glowing eyeballs and amazing kinetic powers which escalate as the film proceeds. A religious cult headed by Sam Shepard, (who has the Right Stuff as a self-assured religious cult fanatic) --to connect them with God; the CIA, to use him as a Secret Weapon; and the local police on general principles, not to mention his mother, Kirsten Dunst, who just wants her child back after he is kidnapped by his feckless biological father. One tricky question: How did Kirsten Dunst (still looking good at 35) give birth Here on Earth to an Alien from a different world? -- but you don't let such trivia bother you when you're enjoying the ride, and this film is one Heckuva ride! PS: "Midnight Special" is the perfect title for a flick that is probably destined to become a cult favorite at the Midnite Movies. Alex, Hotel Alper, Berlin, Monday, Feb. 22.

I didn't expect much from this movie, given it's odd title, but what a pleasant surprise. Well written, excellent acting performances all round. I couldn't fault the movie, it's well worth seeing and I hope it gets the plaudits it richly deserves. Jaeden Lieberher is going to be a star, judging by his excellent performance as Alton. I think the message is definitely about the power of parental love and the lengths we go to in order to protect our children, even in the face of insurmountable odds. This is a genre that not everyone likes, including myself, but I loved it. It definitely has a retro feel about it, whilst having an original twist. There are strong acting performances from the rest of the cast and I thoroughly recommend it.

I don't usually go to the cinema without knowing anything about the film, but this time I did. My husband said the movie is well rated so it should be worth the time and money. It was not, but let's say it helps to see what it does to a film when form/style is more important than the story. The first half of the movie gives you hope for something really original to follow. That is not the case. The timing in the movie where we get to asking ourselves "what exactly are we watching" was so obvious in the cinema, cause everybody seemed to be quietly whispering to each other: is the boy an angel?, is he Jesus? :D is he from Krypton?? The point where the father worries about what a superman comics will do to his son's imagination is quite promising. So, he is not the savior he was taught he is, he is not from another planet (presumably because his parents are sure they did not adopt him), and he needs to learn what is real. What is real? please please don't let him be from another dimension, not one right on top of this world (Earth, not the entire universe), not one where beings made of light and walking (walking!) in a most uncomfortable way are watching us and have been doing so for a long while... not a world that looks like tomorrow-land! But that is what you get, after painstakingly watching supernatural powers being described as radio powers, blue light coming from the child's eyes and giving a sense of peace to the ones he is sharing that with, kinetic powers, and only being able to go (back?) to the other dimension at a particular time and place. And a mother cutting her blonde hair but smiling because she knows she will always be special, because she conceived a child who is from another dimension and is always watching his father, through blue light shining in his eyes. An exercise in style who is supposed to be a tribute to past good sci-fi movies and ends up being a moronic parody of them. But even without being aware of any other sci-fi movie, isn't it better to have a story in a movie than merely style? If you can live with the lack of originality you might enjoy the movie. But it cleverly tricks you into high expectations and delivers so very little in the end.

First and foremost, Jeff Nichols is quickly becoming one of my favourite directors working today, and I honestly believe that his movies have increasingly become better. Midnight Special starts off in the middle of the plot, and does not rely on exposition. This movie treats its audience with respect and allows them to piece together the reasons and events throughout the progression of the film. It gives just enough detail in order to understand but not too little to have no idea what is going on. We are put in the same position as the characters in this movie - where we know just as much as they do about the origin and extent of the child's powers. Although the ending is a twist that many probably do not understand, it feels deserved and does not feel out of place in the context of the movie; however, the characters probably think it is out of place, but that is because they do not have the outsider perspective that the audience does. In terms of the characters, Michael Shannon's character does feel like a father who would genuinely do this for his son (especially because he may feel as though he is making up for lost time) and the other characters are very enjoyable and feel necessary to the movie. The atmosphere and feel of the movie is amazing, and even though the plot itself sounds absurd - a father and son are on the run from religious extremists because the son possesses special powers - but it is much more than that and feels believable in its execution.

This reminded me of a couple of films, namely Close Encounters and Starman, but with everything good about them ripped out, thrown on the floor and stamped on. What remained was an overall joyless experience as two sullen, largely monosyllabic mumbling men drove a kid with glowing eyes home for two hours. Of course they had a couple of hurdles to overcome but at no point do you think "Oh no, they're not going to get the glowing eyed kid home". Where previously films of this oeuvre have employed wit, humanity and a sense of wonder to fabulous effect the director of this sullen dross did little other than smash you repeatedly in the face shouting "I AM SERIOUS, I AM IMPORTANT" by making the repetitive turgid soundtrack blare progressively louder and louder. It was bombastic pseudo-intellectual rubbish masquerading as serious cinema. Just because everyone looks miserable and hardly anyone says anything doesn't automatically make something good. You have to have talent to pull that off and make people care about your morose protagonists despite themselves. Whereas the only comparable thing this nonsense succeeded in doing was making me like a guy from the NSA, basically because he was the only one who seemed capable of speaking in entire sentences and looking slightly interested in what was going on. I'd rather be forced to sit and watch E.T over and over again Clockwork Orange style for a week than expose myself to this inane garbage again. And I hate E.T.

This really is one of the most stupid films I have seen in a while. If you're not snooze busting after an hour you will at the least be questioning all the mistakes and attention to detail that takes place this rather dull and not very interesting movie. 1) Explosion at the petrol station, the windows are blown out in the van. Next scene, the windows are fine 2) A man is on the run, its now gone national. Yet man manages to drive through a police convoy, and not only that, he has blood all over his face and top! 3) Very same man has been shot, but oh no, that very same man is fine now 4) Man in car break through barrier, bearing in mind, this is an FBI operation, barrier has 2 only two cars. These cops are so dumb that don't they think to shoot the tires, oh no, in a typical scooby fashion, they get back in the cars and chase the car. 5) So these very same dumb cops are following car with damaged steering it must be said, all the while an unknown world appears, growing bigger in front of our very eyes, but these dumb cops are so committed to solving the crime they fail to notice this happening, instead, when the car finally crashes they point guns at the car, not even looking at the miracle scenes that have just happened. 6) Almost missed this one, 1st 30 mins are focused on a cult, then you don't hear or see them again. This really is a dumb movie! I went in not knowing anything about it. I shouldn't have bothered. Its total garbage. 4 is a bit too generous of a score. But I did like some of the cinematography

Being a film review guy, people often ask me what my favourite film of all time is, and it's a difficult question to answer. I have a 'head' film list and a 'heart' film list, and depending on my mood the lists can shift. However, always near the top of the 'heart' list without fail is Spielberg's 1977 original cut of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" - a film that just blew me away at the cinema on first release. Here in "Midnight Special" we have the nearest thing I've seen to a loving tribute to that classic. Our hero Roy (obviously!) played by Michael Shannon (Zod from the recent "Superman" reboots), and with help from childhood friend Lucas (Joel Edgerton), kidnap a strange light-sensitive child with strange powers from the Texan HQ of a doomsday-focused religious cult led by Calvin Meyer (Sam Shepard). The child - Alden - is played really well by 9 year-old Jaeden Lieberher. Triggering a state and then nationwide manhunt, the trio meet friend and foe on their journey into an uncertain future. While most strikingly resembling "Close Encounters", the film drops in - either knowingly or unintentionally - parallels to a host of other Sci- Fi films including "Cocoon", "ET", "Tomorrowland" and "Village of the Damned". You might conclude from this comment that this is just a Sci- Fi by numbers quilt: but - while there are probably few truly original Sci-Fi stories left to define - the writer/director Jeff Nichols does succeed in ploughing his own narrative furrow in this well worked field by throwing in a road-movie smattering of "The Sugarland Express" or "Thelma and Louise" into the pot. What's refreshing in a Sci-fi movie (as was the case in the recent "10 Cloverfield Lane") is that Nichol's screnplay is intelligent enough to treat the audience with an IQ north of 100 by letting the story reveal itself. Some elements of the story (no spoilers) treat you as absurd: and then 30 minutes later there is an "Ah!" moment. The key Performances by Jackson and Kirsten Dunst are good and very touching in places. Playing the "where have I seen him before" card is Sevier, the lead scientist (why didn't he have jangling keys on his belt though?). If you give up, the answer is that he's played by Adam Driver, Kylo Ren from "Star Wars". For me though Joel Egerton particularly stands out. I've been critical of some of his performances in the past, but here he really nails it with a quiet and unassuming supporting role. David Wingo's score worked well in places, but - sorry Mr Wingo - I was hankering at some points for swelling John Williams strings! I could also be mildly critical of the cinematography by Adam Stone. Although very atmospheric, it takes the "Midnight" from the title rather literally in places: something that I can see causing difficulties for TV viewers in working out what the hell is going on in places. This is a slower paced film than many might like, but for me it perfectly balances character with mystery and action. As such it grabs at least a draft slot in my films of the year. By the way, following on from my previous review, Midnight Special has a BvS-quotient of 7.2% .... that's the percentage of this movie's budget to the budget of Batman vs Superman!