Midnight Special Movie Review

Article by Gabe Zia

Lazy Film Critic Movie Reviews

Midnight Special

Midnight Special is the latest film from Jeff Nichols, who's previous work includes Mud and Take Shelter (both great films). Jeff Nichols has slowly put himself right up there with Denis Villeneuve as the best new directors right now. Midnight Special stars Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, Jaeden Lieberher, and Adam Driver. The film follows a father who discovers his son has supernatural abilities, and tries to keep him away from both the government and religious fanatics.

The direction of this movie is absolutely fantastic. Jeff Nichols is a master of quiet, subtle, and emotional moments, and this film is a perfect example of that talent. This movie isn't filled with fast paced chase sequences, it's a quieter film that takes it's time and lets a moment be a moment. And honestly, it totally works for the film, it's so great to see a movie that let's a moment speak for itself and doesn't force the audience to feel a certain way about a certain scene.

This is also an outstanding movie from a technical standpoint. The score is one of the best I've heard in a while, a beautiful mix of haunting and surreal, and it makes for a soundtrack that's just really nice to listen to. The cinematography is gorgeous, there's so much worthwhile effort that you can see in every shot, from the way they're framed and angled, or even the most subtle change in lighting, and it all works towards the film.

The actors in this movie are great, and while I want to talk about all of them, the main standouts are Michael Shannon and Jaeden Lieberher. Michael Shannon has slowly become one of my favorite current actors, simply because he's one of the best emotional actors working today. He's one of those few actors who I honestly feel like could play just any role he's given, no matter what the role is. As for Lieberher, after St. Vincent I had a good feeling about him as an actor, but I didn't know he'd do something quite this great. This kid freaking nails this role, I can't wait to see him in future movies.

Now all of this would make for a solid movie, but what makes Midnight Special a great film, and something truly special (no pun intended)? Well, as I said before, this is a rare kind of movie that doesn't tell it's audience what to think. It doesn't force metaphors and political/philosophical undertones where it's unnecessary (unlike a certain Superhero movie recently...). Where this movie shines is in the mystery, and the fact that a lot of it is up to interpretation. Everyone who watches this movie will get something different, a different interpretation of what the deeper meaning of the movie is, and that's what makes it a truly masterful film.

Final Rating
Coming out of this movie, the first word that came to mind was "refreshing". This movie was a breath of fresh air unlike anything I've seen in the collective past two years. Jeff Nichols has created a film that is nothing short of a masterpiece. There's so much imagination and creativity in this movie it's astounding. The actors are fantastic, and the technical aspects are just wonderful. Midnight Special currently has a limited release, but if you live in an area where it's playing, go see it. If not, see it at the first opportunity, I guarantee you won't regret it.