Alton has abilities a human boy shouldn’t have. Because of that the government is after him, but that is not the only thing. Alton grew up in a cult that highly believes in his abilities to “communicate with the Lord”. As Alton, his father Roy and their friend Lucas try to run from everything they get all their answers on the way, but not without obstacles.
The one word that popped up in my head when the movie started and pretty much stand there the rest of the time was vague. Because everything was just simply very vague. Although you do get some answers once you’re further into the movie of course, I still ended up with a lot of question marks floating around in my head in the end. It was a very interesting story and I enjoyed it. That’s why I want to know more about it. The movie was almost 2 hours long and in that time you think I should know more about everything but I hardly do. There were a lot of scenes where not much was happening. I wouldn’t have minded if they used that time to give me more information instead of people staring ahead.
It was fun to see Jaeden Lieberher again. I really enjoy his acting and think he has done great work so far for someone of such a young age. It’s always a pleasure to have Michael Shannon and Joel Edgerton around and Adam Driver was a surprisingly fun character as well! I felt like Kirsten Dunst had one of her standard characters, it wasn’t a disappointment or anything, but nothing surprising or special either.
Midnight Special was a fun watch that I would recommend, although you are left with a lot of unanswered questions afterwards (and that is something that frustrates me a lot. Oh well).
After the strange, ethereal and entertaining Take Shelter I was keen to see what Jeff Nichols and Michael Shannon would bring to the table with Midnight Special. I was not disappointed.
I am not the first nor the last to note immediately that his film is a close relative of several films, notable E.T., Close Encounter of the Third Kind and possibly Star Man but those that think they are being clever criticising Jeff Nichols for this are contributing nothing to the debate. In several interviews he has admitted the influences and wanting to make a similar type film. For my part I say none of these were made by Jeff Nichols and therefore it is obvious that Midnight Special whilst born of these films goes its own way.
There is no cheese ball romanticism in this film. Michael Shannon brings his intense, strong, believable character acting to the film and from the very moment you are introduced to him you believe he really wants to save his son and he really will do anything to do so. Having said that it is Michael Shannon so for this type of role I’m guessing you point the camera at him and sit back and have a cup of coffee and not worry. In Midnight Special Mr Shannon proves that maybe I’m not as daft as I sound. Alongside Joel Edgerton, who I sort of didn’t recognise to start off with, he seems bulked up, you have two great unflashy actors at the top of their game producing and believable non-buddy road movie of sorts.
Then you throw into the mix Adam Driver, Kirsten Dunst and remarkable child-actor Jaeden Lieberher and you have a perfect cast. Every time I see Adam Driver I like him as an actor more. Here he plays and intelligently written and motive NSA character and plays it more like you would imagine a real agent would be. Perfect, break the Hollywood mould for these roles.
The film is written by Jeff Nichols who is clearly influences by the great film directors but also can spot a Hollywood cliché at fifty paces. As always with his films you are never quite sure what direction he is taking you in but you know he’ll get to the point with some great pacing and beautifully filmed locations. Not only this but Nichols refuses to pander to audiences and leaves who series of questions unanswered where the viewer has to make their mind up. Thank you Mr Nichols.
Unfortunately I believe on its cinema release Midnight Special did not set the box-office alight, not enough exploding cars and incredible stunts I suppose. Does this mean that Jeff Nichols will have to compromise on his unique visions and cinematic ideas? I for one hope not but I fear it is very difficult to make films without money and some backing.
Every person involved in Midnight Special needs to take a bow. Congratulations on making an intelligent, thought-provoking film made without compromise to current trends and pandering. Something to be proud of. I wish I was billionaire so I could fund film-makers like this to see where they go but alas I have no influence….
After the strange, ethereal and entertaining Take Shelter I was keen to see what Jeff Nichols and Michael Shannon would bring to the table with Midnight Special. I was not disappointed.
I am not the first nor the last to note immediately that his film is a close relative of several films, notable E.T., Close Encounter of the Third Kind and possibly Star Man but those that think they are being clever criticising Jeff Nichols for this are contributing nothing to the debate. In several interviews he has admitted the influences and wanting to make a similar type film. For my part I say none of these were made by Jeff Nichols and therefore it is obvious that Midnight Special whilst born of these films goes its own way.
There is no cheese ball romanticism in this film. Michael Shannon brings his intense, strong, believable character acting to the film and from the very moment you are introduced to him you believe he really wants to save his son and he really will do anything to do so. Having said that it is Michael Shannon so for this type of role I’m guessing you point the camera at him and sit back and have a cup of coffee and not worry. In Midnight Special Mr Shannon proves that maybe I’m not as daft as I sound. Alongside Joel Edgerton, who I sort of didn’t recognise to start off with, he seems bulked up, you have two great unflashy actors at the top of their game producing and believable non-buddy road movie of sorts.
Then you throw into the mix Adam Driver, Kirsten Dunst and remarkable child-actor Jaeden Lieberher and you have a perfect cast. Every time I see Adam Driver I like him as an actor more. Here he plays and intelligently written and motive NSA character and plays it more like you would imagine a real agent would be. Perfect, break the Hollywood mould for these roles.
The film is written by Jeff Nichols who is clearly influences by the great film directors but also can spot a Hollywood cliché at fifty paces. As always with his films you are never quite sure what direction he is taking you in but you know he’ll get to the point with some great pacing and beautifully filmed locations. Not only this but Nichols refuses to pander to audiences and leaves who series of questions unanswered where the viewer has to make their mind up. Thank you Mr Nichols.
Unfortunately I believe on its cinema release Midnight Special did not set the box-office alight, not enough exploding cars and incredible stunts I suppose. Does this mean that Jeff Nichols will have to compromise on his unique visions and cinematic ideas? I for one hope not but I fear it is very difficult to make films without money and some backing.
Every person involved in Midnight Special needs to take a bow. Congratulations on making an intelligent, thought-provoking film made without compromise to current trends and pandering. Something to be proud of. I wish I was billionaire so I could fund film-makers like this to see where the go but alas I have no influence….
It maybe is due to the fact that I could be simply getting stupider every day that passes, but I simply don't get if The Movie is a joke and they want me to laugh with them or they simply are laughing at me.
Trying to pull off in 2016 a 1970's Class B style movie doesn't make sense, no matter how you look at it.
During the late 50's and 60's, the golden age of this genre, they were already known in the industry as Class B movies, and that wasn't because they were considered by any cinematography connoisseur of the time as just a bit worst than the so called ** Class A** movies. On the contrary, they called B Class because they only had two Classes the A and B, so everything than was not a ** Class A** meant that it was just junk, the equivalent of an F. But it was much more marketable to say a Class B than an F movie. And besides they served a purpose then, they were needed to fill the time between each ** Class A** movie premiere, as the industry was significantly smaller than nowadays. There was a need to have a cheap, easy and fast to produce product at the theaters everywhere that kids and teens could go to see during the morning and early afternoon during the weekends and that could serve as an excuse for dating couples to go to a dark place to "date with some privacy". On those days neither TV was as ubiquitous nor social etiquette for dating couples was as permissive as it's today.
If The Movie would have been done in the 1990's, it would have been one of be those low budget, low quality movies filmed (on analog video) to be shown directly and only on Broadcast TV (free to air) outside prime time to fill the dead hours in the rising hours of morning or early in the morning on weekends early in the morning before the sports or off-season.
IMHO there is absolutely nothing, other than missing the aroma of "concentrated bulls..t" , that would justify any appreciation for The Movie. The story in itself is dull, the script is worst than bad, the tempo, cadence and rhythm is as varied as the encephalography of the script writer... simply a flat straight line. The photography is dull, the acting is next to inexistent, they seem to have forgotten to hire an editor for The Movie, because if they had the final cut would have consisted in just: Entry Credits + Exit Credits.
The Movie have either been made by incompetents or by conscientious individuals laughing their guts out thinking about poor bastards that would paid a cent to see it.
TL;DR A poor imitation of a Class B movie, using the same cliches of the 1960's transposed to 2016 when we are systematically exploring the Solar System and beyond, it doesn't cut it; thus The Movie IMO deserves nothing less than F-, a zero, nils, nada.
Review by Phil MarsdenBlockedParentSpoilers2016-06-17T00:23:15Z— updated 2016-07-07T16:17:36Z
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.