Midnight SpecialEvery light casts a shadow; what happens when you discover that you are the shadow? Midnight Special is a science fiction drama in the vein of other science fiction classics from the 1980s, such as Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial; it concerns itself more with the human element when it comes to the revelation of the existence of the extra-normal than technobabble. This is the story of a family, broken by circumstance but reunited in the looming presence of an ominous date waiting on the horizon. It is a story of two worlds, even the definition of those two worlds varies as the story unfolds.
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Midnight Special is the story of Alton Meyer (Jaeden Lieberher), a gifted young boy who is ostensibly abducted by Roy (Michael Shannon) and Lucas (Joel Edgerton). Roy and Lucas are on the run from the law, from the agents working on behalf of the religious commune Roy and Alton were once a part of, racing to make an appointment on March 6th, for some event foreseen by Alton. Alton has special gifts, which have made him into the focus of the religious group, who preach sermons derived from his "fits", his episodes where he communes and dictates information, later revealed to be coordinates uploaded to ultra-high security satellites of the federal government. Following the reveal of this information and the Amber Alert issued for Alton's disappearance, the FBI moves in--alongside specialist Paul Sevier (Adam Driver) from the NSA--to discern where Alton is, and just what his unique gift represents in terms of national security and the welfare of the human race. Alton becomes a highly-wanted boy, pursued by both the government and the religion he has facilitated via his visions. But it is through this journey across highways and state lines that Alton begins to discover what his true purpose is, and the extent of his role in the universe.
Jeff Nichols' Midnight Special feels in part like a science fiction story born from the legacy of filmmakers like Steven Spielberg, in part because of the decidedly human element taking the forefront in the plot, but also in the presentation. Although contemporary dates are mentioned at points in the story, were they not, there are numerous elements in the setting which would lead the audience to suspect that this tale takes place at some point in the past. The style and dress of characters is a touch antiquated, and there are a predominance of relics from decades past, such as CRT television sets and even old-fashioned Pepsi cans. Save for the few modern elements, this is a story which could stand in times not so long ago. It is a story which is also aligned with sci-fi classics of that decade, like John Carpenter's Starman. The contrast between the past and the future is crucial in Midnight Special; that which we identify as familiar and even old-fashioned looks all the more distinct--even alien--when contrasted with the "other world" lurking behind the scenes, visible only to Alton at large, who is possessed with gifts born from this other place, which is itself gorgeous in its techno-organic artistry. In this, Alton represents "the future", a kind of legacy which every following generation must embrace. Alton is a mere eight-years old, but he seems perpetually possessed of a kind of preternatural wisdom, an understanding not just of this world, but more of the next. The interest the religious ranch takes in him makes sense when you consider that his talents call to another world beyond the veil, and that is always the greatest mystery and question in religion. All of a sudden, this avatar of another place has answers for those great, metaphysical questions that have haunted philosophers and scientists both. There is also a sense that the sun is a crucial element in the story; much of the activity in Midnight Special occurs at night--or around dawn and dusk--but the presence of the sun speaks to the power of illumination, a metaphor for truth. And Alton's truth is the great reveal in Midnight Special, one which cannot lurk forever in the darkness.
Midnight Special remains enjoyable throughout the plot due to not only the mystery of Alton's gifts, but because of the determination of his parents, Roy and Sarah (Kirsten Dunst), to watch over and protect their boy from the terrors of church and state trying to exploit his potential for their respective gain. We get great insight into what kind of people protect Alton in his quest to realize his destiny, even in subtle ways. Roy was a member of the church, and still wears his shirts fully buttoned-up as they do, but he has clearly understood something about his son which they have not, and has escaped with him to allow his child to execute what it is he is meant to do, even if it is a cause misunderstood by the world at large. Lucas may not have spent a lot of time with his erstwhile friend, Roy, but he is committed to the cause by virtue of Alton's gift, plus the sense that he knows what must be done, even if it doesn't make a lot of sense to outsiders. Sarah is at first described as having "abandoned" Alton, but reconnects with her family, their strength helping the boy reach his potential. In effect, they represent the kind of support structure necessary for any child, the foundation from which one generation grows into the next, even if Alton's capacity for growth is beyond mere mortal understanding--a family by any other name. Midnight Special is a rich and engaging journey into the unknown, made relatable by showcasing a family struggle against the powers that be to support a child in his journey of ascension, something many people can identify with, even if satellites aren't falling from the skies.
Recommended for: Fans of a classic-style science fiction story about family, government, religion, and much more, all while feeling recognizable and genuine. It's engaging and tense, but also uplifting in its message of authentic faith and love rewarded and its promise of a world beyond our own.
Jeff Nichols' Midnight Special feels in part like a science fiction story born from the legacy of filmmakers like Steven Spielberg, in part because of the decidedly human element taking the forefront in the plot, but also in the presentation. Although contemporary dates are mentioned at points in the story, were they not, there are numerous elements in the setting which would lead the audience to suspect that this tale takes place at some point in the past. The style and dress of characters is a touch antiquated, and there are a predominance of relics from decades past, such as CRT television sets and even old-fashioned Pepsi cans. Save for the few modern elements, this is a story which could stand in times not so long ago. It is a story which is also aligned with sci-fi classics of that decade, like John Carpenter's Starman. The contrast between the past and the future is crucial in Midnight Special; that which we identify as familiar and even old-fashioned looks all the more distinct--even alien--when contrasted with the "other world" lurking behind the scenes, visible only to Alton at large, who is possessed with gifts born from this other place, which is itself gorgeous in its techno-organic artistry. In this, Alton represents "the future", a kind of legacy which every following generation must embrace. Alton is a mere eight-years old, but he seems perpetually possessed of a kind of preternatural wisdom, an understanding not just of this world, but more of the next. The interest the religious ranch takes in him makes sense when you consider that his talents call to another world beyond the veil, and that is always the greatest mystery and question in religion. All of a sudden, this avatar of another place has answers for those great, metaphysical questions that have haunted philosophers and scientists both. There is also a sense that the sun is a crucial element in the story; much of the activity in Midnight Special occurs at night--or around dawn and dusk--but the presence of the sun speaks to the power of illumination, a metaphor for truth. And Alton's truth is the great reveal in Midnight Special, one which cannot lurk forever in the darkness.
Midnight Special remains enjoyable throughout the plot due to not only the mystery of Alton's gifts, but because of the determination of his parents, Roy and Sarah (Kirsten Dunst), to watch over and protect their boy from the terrors of church and state trying to exploit his potential for their respective gain. We get great insight into what kind of people protect Alton in his quest to realize his destiny, even in subtle ways. Roy was a member of the church, and still wears his shirts fully buttoned-up as they do, but he has clearly understood something about his son which they have not, and has escaped with him to allow his child to execute what it is he is meant to do, even if it is a cause misunderstood by the world at large. Lucas may not have spent a lot of time with his erstwhile friend, Roy, but he is committed to the cause by virtue of Alton's gift, plus the sense that he knows what must be done, even if it doesn't make a lot of sense to outsiders. Sarah is at first described as having "abandoned" Alton, but reconnects with her family, their strength helping the boy reach his potential. In effect, they represent the kind of support structure necessary for any child, the foundation from which one generation grows into the next, even if Alton's capacity for growth is beyond mere mortal understanding--a family by any other name. Midnight Special is a rich and engaging journey into the unknown, made relatable by showcasing a family struggle against the powers that be to support a child in his journey of ascension, something many people can identify with, even if satellites aren't falling from the skies.
Recommended for: Fans of a classic-style science fiction story about family, government, religion, and much more, all while feeling recognizable and genuine. It's engaging and tense, but also uplifting in its message of authentic faith and love rewarded and its promise of a world beyond our own.