Review of Midnight Special (2016) by Susan C — 09 Apr 2016

Midnight Special is supernatural, soulful and spiritual sci-fi that goes to prove Jeff Nichols' clout as one of America's finest modern directors. Combining the paranormal themes of Take Shelter and the heart of MUD; Midnight Special is a slow burning, and at times very minimal, piece of cinema which twists and plays with the conventions of science fiction while also commenting on topics such as religion, surveillance and most clearly themes of parenthood and what it means to be a parent.

Long time collaborator Michael Shannon gives nothing less than a stellar performance which you'd come to expect while Kirsten Dunst and Joel Edgerton give equally subtle and nuanced turns. While some, including me, might feel slightly underwhelmed with the ambiguous third act and unexplained plot progression; Midnight Special is unique Spielberg inspired sci-fi on a small scale with big ideas.