Review of Midnight Special (2016) by Spangle — 03 Aug 2016

Midnight Special is a wonderfully unique and adventurous film. The acting across the board is very good, but the real star here are the technical elements. The special effects are terrific, especially in a scene where we see the boy with his eyes and the light coursing through his veins.

The ending sequence also features terrific special effects and give the film a feeling along the lines of Spielberg's 70s and 80s science fiction classics due to the sense of wonder it inspires. The sense of mystery is highlighted by the film's synth-like score that really threatens to steal the show at times.

Its low notes put you right on the edge and add this air of mystery that leaves you guessing until the very end. The lighting and cinematography are also top-notch, especially with the film largely taking place at night.

It is always hard to shoot at night, but Midnight Special makes it look easy and, even better, the lighting lets you see everything, yet keep enough shrouded in darkness to make it both visually pleasing and mysterious.

This film has a lot going on, is quite slow, and does not have a pay-off many will appreciate. However, I certainly did appreciate these elements. The slow pacing never arose as an issue because enough is going on to really keep you hooked and zoned in on what is going on in the film.

Additionally, the ending is perfect simply because the proceeding 1 hour and 40 minutes were so mysterious. A mysterious ending is the only way to end this one as the characters never showed any level of understanding as to what was happening to the boy.

Thus, it only makes sense that they remain in the dark along with us and get looked at as if they are crazy. Overall, Midnight Special is a special film that is wholly unique and highlights that Jeff Nichols is one of the best directors working today.