Get your Ray-Bans out to shield your eyes from lens flares because you aren’t the spring chicken you were when Super 8 came out in 2011. Heavily inspired by the sci-fi gems of Steven Spielberg, the film laid the groundwork for fellow “kids-on-bikes” drama Stranger Things, which recently concluded its nearly decade-long run on Netflix. Super 8 is also available on Netflix currently, but it’ll leave the streaming service at the end of the month. Audiences that are feeling let down by the Stranger Things finale might want to check the movie out; it received solid reviews back in the day, and emerged as a proper original studio blockbuster. It was also the first non-IP feature film of director J.J. Abrams‘ career, and will remain his last original movie until his upcoming film The Great Beyond comes out.
Set in the late 1970s, Super 8 followed a group of suburban kids who band together to make a zombie movie in their backyard. But their high-stakes production is interrupted by strange phenomena, which prompts the sudden arrival of the military to their town. The kids discover that the military is after an alien creature that was broken out of captivity and is hiding out somewhere nearby. Produced on a reported budget of $50 million, Super 8 grossed $260 million at the global box office. It earned solid reviews, and is now sitting at a “certified fresh” 81% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics’ consensus reads, “It may evoke memories of classic summer blockbusters a little too eagerly for some, but Super 8 has thrills, visual dazzle, and emotional depth to spare.”
J.J. Abrams Is Making a Return to Original Filmmaking
Abrams, who may be known as the father of singer Gracie Abrams to younger audiences, made his feature film debut with Mission: Impossible III. He went on to direct Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker — the latter is the most expensive movie ever made, with a reported budget of nearly $500 million. Abrams is now putting together his first film in seven years, The Great Beyond, starring Glen Powell and Jenna Ortega. Super 8 starred Elle Fanning, Joel Courtney, Kyle Chandler, and others.
You have until February 1 to watch the movie on Netflix. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
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June 10, 2011
- Runtime
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112 minutes
