Midnight Special

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Roy (Michael Shannon) and his son flee from both the government and a murderous cult along with the help of a devoted family friend in this tense, slow-burn dramatic sci-fi thriller. Adam Driver plays a government agent that finds himself caught in the frenzy, and is seeking answers more so for himself than his employers. As every piece of the puzzle is slowly falling into place he becomes more and more compelled, and involved.

I spent a lot of this movie suited in goosebumps. It was tense, and there were moments I sat on the edge of my seat waiting for the inevitable jump, that came to pass without the expected pay off. Then like a delayed shot to the gut, there it was, subverted and damn near knocking me out of my seat after I had already accepted the opportunity had been missed. It doesn't exhibit the hastiest pacing; it's slow and within reason I enjoy that. I felt that it worked for the tension and final pay off because the end of this movie was pretty far off from what I had expected (not aliens), and it was awesome.

While this bombed horribly in theaters, not even making back half it's budget, I recommend this if you're into the slow burn of classic sci-fi. The director said it was created as a parable for fatherhood, and that was well-executed throughout the narrative. The looming feeling of having to give up part of yourself to the world, and that duty being more important that anything.

I loved it. Check it out.

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