Midnight Special (2016)

[CJohn]

Discuss it

[Water Bottle]

Brilliant thriller that is exciting from beginning to end. Sure, it answers very little questions and most of the questions it does answer come with more questions, but it works in Midnight Special because 1) you can understand the plot and 2) you can understand the characters and their motivations by the end. Man, even that final shot raised a whole bunch of questions. Finally a movie that doesn't explain everything to you...done right.

 

I know it would ruin it but if they could do a sequel, I'd be interested.

 

A-

[spizzer]

Caught this today.  It was fun and exceptionally well paced, one of the tighter executed scripts in recent memory off the top of my head.  Hope it gets the chance to go wider than 58 theaters.

 

41 minutes ago, Water Bottle said:

Brilliant thriller that is exciting from beginning to end. Sure, it answers very little questions and most of the questions it does answer come with more questions, but it works in Midnight Special because 1) you can understand the plot and 2) you can understand the characters and their motivations by the end. Man, even that final shot raised a whole bunch of questions. Finally a movie that doesn't explain everything to you...done right.

 

I know it would ruin it but if they could do a sequel, I'd be interested.

 

A-

 

Yes, that's literally what I was thinking throughout and after.

Edited April 2, 2016 by spizzer

[mattmav45]

Perhaps not constituting superior sci-fi viewing and it stretches the bounds of plausibility a few times, but nonetheless, effective sci-fi cinema.

 

The comparisons to Close Encounters of the Third Kind are on point.  The biggest strength of this film lies in the mystery of the unknown.  From the outset we are given very little information regarding the boy, and the overall situation at hand.  Dialogue is sparse, details are divulged meticulously, and it seems a threat is lurking around every corner.  At its core this film is more of a slow-burn suspense than anything else.

 

The film is beautifully shot and features a score and sounds catered on driving suspense.  As the boy and his father transgress across the country the stakes are seemingly raised within every subsequent frame.  The acting doesn't really stand out per se, but fits within the context of what the film is trying to accomplish.  Specifically, the acting is somewhat cryptic in nature as there is an ominous feel to the proceedings.  As viewers, we aren't sure exactly what's going to happen, but there is ample apprehension supplied and relating to that very event.

 

There is an attempt to tie the mystery unknown with an emotional core consisting of the bond between a young boy and his parents.  This attempt is commendable, but unfortunately doesn't quite reach its full potential.  The relationships simply aren't fleshed out enough to fully obtain their power.  As a result the pay-off during the last twenty minutes or so is somewhat underwhelming.  It's still effective, but one would hope that all the suspense leading up to it would have ultimately led to something a little bit bigger and greater.  This is a film that should have been dependent on the pay-off, and it's a testament to the strength of what came before that, despite some problems with the ending, it remains a damn strong cinematic viewing.  

 

If not already the case, if anything Jeff Nichols has cemented himself as one of the more interesting voices in cinema going forward.

[Webslinger]

A piece of solid, engrossing, and refreshingly original sci-fi, Midnight Special is another winner for writer-director Jeff Nichols. While it's not as masterfully tense as Take Shelter nor as emotionally involving as Mud, it does a solid job of keeping the dramatic stakes high throughout most of its running time, and the decision to reveal specific details about supernaturally-gifted Alton and the adults who either protect or pursue him adds an intriguing layer of mystery whose payoff proves to be satisfying in its strange but powerful third act. Once again, Michael Shannon is a perfect fit for Nichols's low-key approach; despite his tendencies to go over-the-top with other filmmakers, he gives a performance of quiet intensity and power here. 

 

B+

 

After seeing it, I completely understand why Warner Bros released it so quietly (besides focusing maximum attention on promoting Batman v. Superman). Had they gone wide right away, mainstream mall multiplex audiences would have crucified it.

[Avatree]

I just read somewhere that in the final shot, Michael Shannon's eyes glow?! That changes the whole damn thing.  

[Kvikk Lunsj]

Very good thriller. The movie starts out right way getting your attention and never slows.  You start out with questions and the film does not answer all the questions. The viewer themselves can fill in the storyline and  it works in the film.  The movie has an excellant pace with strong performance through the film. 

4/5 

[La Binoche]

A chase movie without a pulse. An uneasy mix of drama, thriller and sci-fi with an unconvincing child actor performance. I just didn't care. It's ludicrous but takes itself so seriously. 

 

Good performances by Michael Shannon and Kirsten Dunst can't save this stinker. 

 

A major step down from Take Shelter and Mud. 

 

C- and I'm being generous. 

[Avatree]

If anyone can find the version of Midnight Special that plays at the end credits can they link it here? I believe it's by Lucero which is Ben Nichols' band.

[Bocephyss]

I am sorry but I can not agree with the first several reviews that call this a good or even great movie. This movie just takes a bit of SYFY lore and creates a movie in which nothing is answered. Well to be more precise, nothing is actually asked in this movie. I can't believe they attempted this, no wonder they made so poor of a box office. Please don't do this again

[Goffe]

It's a tense and visually insane movie, but I would have appreciated it a lot more if the boy's relationship with his father & mother was more meaningfully developed. I couldn't help but feel nothing when the boy looked at his father for the last time. I was completely apathetic towards everyone in the movie. 65/100

Edited June 27, 2016 by Goffe

[Blankments]

Midnight Special continues Jeff Nichols' love of E.T. in a more obtuse way, despite what it may seem. The story of Alton and his family is touching in its own quiet way. Nichols exercises restraint throughout the picture to go big until the end, but even then, he's focused on the characters and their struggles. Nichols also tackles the wonder of this world delightfully, and frequently had this viewer in awe at sequences and reveals much in the way of early Spielberg. Shannon gives yet another astounding performance, and the rest of the cast is great too. Driver in particular perfectly fits Nichols' style and is a highlight. The score by David Wingo is also a delight, fitting the film perfectly. Midnight Special is a lovely entry in the science-fiction genre, and yet another excellent film from Jeff Nichols. A-

[JohnnyGossamer]

So, yeah, I liked this one. Not as much as Take Shelter but much, much more than Mud. B+.

[Jake Gittes]

The kid having so little personality is the one major drawback, but it's beautifully directed and Shannon, Dunst, Edgerton and Driver bring a lot of humanity and warmth to the characters who may not be much on paper. 

[narniadis]

Finally caught this one. I enjoyed Take Shelter, thought Mud was great and feel like Midnight Special is inbetween the two. The biggest issue I have is a connection with the characters - if perhaps more of their background with the cult had been explored it might have helped to establish emotional ties beyond the basic, bad cult group / stupid law enforcement/special agent tropes they did use. I loved the fact that they didn't even attempt to answer questions, instead letting us fill in the blanks or just be in wonder and that final shot left the wife and I with a bit to think about.

 

One of the better small films from 2016 I have seen.

 

B+