Review: 'Midnight Special' is Exciting Sci-Fi

Ben Frohman ’19 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer

Fresh off the success of Take Shelter and Mud, director Jeff Nichols delivers another drama thriller that is of a very different genre. Midnight Special, the science fiction based film is dark, enthralling, and mysterious by putting a compelling twist on the classic chase movies viewers are used to seeing. The film revolves around a caring father, Roy played by Michael Shannon, who is on the run with his goggle and earmuff-wearing son, Alton played by newcomer Jaeden Lieberher. Alton has a calm demeanor with a love for comics, but is a great deal more than meets the eye.
The movie starts out with the two fleeing the police as they search for an unrevealed location that Alton insists on going to, which develops into an even more exciting chase that includes hired guns and other anomalies. Events get incredibly strange when Alton’s eyes begin to flash and turn a bright blue, and this is when the journey truly begins.

The cast additionally includes Joel Edgerton, who plays Lucas, Roy’s friend and accomplice, while Kirsten Dunst plays Sarah, Roy’s ex-wife, who is along for the ride too. Adam Driver contributes to the story with his vaguely comedic yet serious relief by playing a NSA officer looking over the case, while Sam Shepard plays a religious sect leader, who is on the wrong side of the law. Sam Shepard’s part is incredibly small and could have been expanded, but the focus isn’t on him as much as his effect on the story. These characters add a smidgen of pizazz to the tedious and somewhat tiresome story.
The performances are stellar, and compel attention for the whole film. Michael Shannon truly delivers as a dad who will do anything for his son, even if it means putting his own life on the line. Dunst plays a caring mom to a tee, and shows she just wants the best for her son. Her emotions reveal many layers as they go on this trip. Lieberher likewise gives a noteworthy performance, as he copes with a strange predicament that drives the story. The dynamic between the three is strikingly realistic, bringing to light many dimensions of their relationships and the family’s strong connection towards one another. Furthermore something to note is the bond between Lucas and Roy, which is one of trust and friendship that speaks bounds in the movie.

The complex story is imaginative, expressive, and picturesque in laying out a plot that keeps the viewer’s on the edge of their seats. It is a strange combination of movies like E.T., Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Looper, but Midnight Special manages to create a world of its own and paves a different path. There is a harsh, natural, and even sad undertone throughout the movie, but the passion of the characters feeds off the audience’s every emotion. The family dynamic in the movie plays in to how relatable the out of this world film actually is.
Midnight Special uses a slow pace to build up the story, and keeps the audience awaiting a big reveal. It can be a tad dull in places, and sometimes gets lost in the commentary, but visually the movie is engaging and pleasing to watch with its road shots, landscape images, and special effects. The movie allows the audience to just buckle in and not ask very many questions, because truthfully not many are answered. The big reveal in the end is just palpable enough, to leave feeling satisfied. A few important plot points go unresolved, but the movie stays on track to deliver a realistic, unbelievable tale of a boy’s journey to find the unimaginable.
Overall Grade: B 
Watch The Trailer: [embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UU_CC81aGM[/embedyt]