'Midnight Special' A Review

Midnight Special is a science fiction thriller about a father and his son with abilities, fleeing a cult and the government, on their way to a mysterious meeting. The film opens on Roy(Michael Shannon), Lucas(Joel Edgerton) Roy's childhood friend, and Roy's son Alton(Jaeden Lieberher) in a hotel room preparing to leave for an evening of travel. They face roadblocks, confrontations, and Alton's unpredictable powers as they speed off through the night.

Shannon as the father and ostensible lead is as compelling as ever but with none of his usual menace only determination and an unwavering sense of purpose. Edgerton as the competent friend is more subtle and earnest than he's ever been. Lieberher is engaging but struggles somewhat with some of the more supernaturally influenced dialogue. The three share an easy, precise, and functional chemistry hinting at both individual and collective back stories that are never explained but we get a sense of by how they interact. About half way through the film Kirsten Dunst as Alton's mom is looped in and the trio becomes a quartet. Dunst brings some much needed emotional balance to the somewhat restrained other three. Her performance is also incredibly strong, there is no weakness in the character or in the portrayal. Adam Driver and Sam Sheppard also put in worthy supporting turns. Driver has the most fun of the cast providing almost all the film's comic relief. Although all the performances are understated they contain utmost confidence and a surprising potency.

The most effective element of the film is it's narrative. Propulsive and dark it careens through the pitfalls and perils its leads face(bolstered by an evocative repetitive score). It infers a ton of information but never stops to explain, providing virtually no exposition at any point. It assumes it's audience has intelligence. A more mainstream take on the story couldn't help but shoehorn unnecessary flashbacks or contrived voice over to explain what ultimately doesn't need to be explained. We see the characters as they are, we are taken on this small portion of their journey, and our imagination fills in the gaps. It's wonderful and refreshing.

An incredibly smart, fast-paced, sci-fi adventure.

Don't Miss It.