MIDNIGHT SPECIAL (2016)
Reviewed by Jerry Saravia
Any time there is the glorified spectacle of a sci-fi story about a kid with magical powers or kid robots or what-have-you, I get skeptical. Firstly, aside from Netflix's own amazingly entertaining and spookily exciting "Stranger Things" (which was itself a hodgepodge of every sci-fi film from the 1980's, including its own self-referential respect towards "E.T.") that focused on a girl with extraordinary powers, I am not fond of kids who might be aliens or have sensory powers beyond any human's control. Dating back to 1985's own empty-headed if still diverting "D.A.R.Y.L" up until Steven Spielberg's own adaptation of Kubrick's ideas with the fabulous "A.I.," there have been few exceptions to the rule. "Midnight Special" is occasionally riveting in the beginning, has some exceptional performances but after it is all over, it is pretty much rampant silliness with a foreboding gloom. It holds your attention but it still needs an injection of extra substance.
A religious cult in Texas, known as the Ranch, is suddenly barricaded by the arrival of FBI agents everywhere. No, it has nothing to do with the cult not paying their fair share of taxes. Apparently, the FBI is on a manhunt for two fugitives harboring a kid with special powers. The kid wears goggles which enables him to keep his destructive eyes that emit penetrating white light in check, unless he sees weather satellites booming above him that he can destroy. Alton Meyer (Jaeden Lieberher) is the special kid who needs to reunite with his own kind, light beings as it were, at some rendezvous (not unlike the finale of "E.T."). Michael Shannon is Roy, the kid's dad, whom we surmise came from the Ranch. Also in tow is Roy's childhood friend, a state trooper (Joel Edgerton), who can drive at night with the headlights off thanks to night vision headgear. Roy and his friend are, of course, the fugitives. We eventually get to meet Alton's mother (Kirsten Dunst), formerly of the Ranch, who really cares for the tyke.
Written and directed by Jeff Nichols ("Loving"), most of "Midnight Special" is an elongated chase picture occasionally punctuated with specks of emotion. The Ranch wants the kid, sending an Amber Alert and some armed goons to locate him (the preacher of the Ranch is played by a far-too-brief appearance by Sam Shepard). The FBI and NSA are also on the kid's tail, in addition to an NSA analyst (Adam Driver) who demonstrates an acute sense of intuition of the kid's meeting place with alien beings (it's got something to do with numbers). Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton and Kirsten Dunst rise above the refried beans of a plot - they are fully charged presences on screen although all three could have cracked a smile at least once. It is clear they are always on the run but "Midnight Special" takes itself far too seriously, imbuing much-needed pathos to the proceedings minus some sense of humor. Shannon has such penetrating eyes that suggest someone who has seen it all - he is the heart of the film and it is clear that he's only a dad who wants the best for his son. Edgerton's state trooper is the tough guy who is mesmerized by Alton's gifts. Ditto Kirsten Dunst who sees phosphorescent beauty in her son and in his otherworldly planet. Still, though I understand this takes an emotional toll on the principal characters, they were far too morose for my tastes.
The film is far from a miss (and how could it be with these actors) but it could've used more intimacy overall. After all the endless chases and shootouts are over followed by Shannon's almost otherworldly eyes filled with emotion and weakness, one wonders why this silly sci-fi tale still feels so undernourished.
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