Cert 12A
112 mins
BBFC advice: Contains moderate violence, threat
Perhaps I am being converted to sci-fi fandom after all!
In the past I have found the geekery around franchises such as Star Wars and one-offs such as 2001, A Space Odyssey both baffling and tiresome.
But not only did I rate Star Wars 7 as one of my favourite movies of 2015 but I am now starting to wave my flag for others in the genre, such as Jeff Nichols' Midnight Special.
It is fair to say there are a number of plot holes in this drama about a young boy (Jaeden Lieberher) who is blessed with special powers but I was, nonetheless, gripped.
The film begins with the disappearance of the boy and his father (Michael Shannon) from a religious cult which, it transpires, bases its teaching around statements made by the youngster.
His dad then teams up with a state trooper friend (Joel Edgerton) and the boy's mother (Kirsten Dunst) to keep him away from both the cult and the authorities.
The latter's interest particularly surrounds a potential connection between the lad and an alien intelligence.
Midnight Special is an intense and unusual chase movie with the near emotionless boy at the centre of a deadly tug-of-war between three or even four different forces.
Nichols' script helps makes his film stand out. The gentle introduction of the the boy and the added complication of the cult give it vital depth.
In addition, the cast is superb. Shannon, Edgerton and Dunst juxtapose desperation against cult leader's Sam Shepard's clinicalness.
But special mention should be given to Lieberher. His emotional detachment reminded me of Hayley Joel Osment in The Sixth Sense.
Reasons to watch: a quality sci-fi thriller
Reasons to avoid: too many questions unanswered
Laughs: none
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 8/10
Star tweet
chris pratt Holy smokes! #MidnightSpecial Look for this movie and go see it. Trust me! If you are like me it will be your new favorite film.
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