Good actors gave terrific performances in a disappointing film. There really isn't much of a story. The film is just an extended chase scene and the little mysteries it presents along the way aren't very compelling. The weak ending reminded me just a bit of Netflix "Stranger Things", except in this case the Upside Down could be called the On Top.
Some critics described the film as thoughtful scifi (I guess if it's not based on a Marvel Comic, they think it's deep and meaningful), but it was pretty thin - all atmosphere with no underlying theme or substance. It's not up to the level of a really thoughtful scifi film such as Arrival, which leaves its audience contemplating how language can not only be a barrier to communication, but also shape and limit our perceptions of reality.
I had great hopes for this film because Nichols' earlier, "Take Shelter", was an insightful exploration of the onset of schizophrenia and its impending disastrous impact on an individual and his family.
But with "Midnight Special, it seems as though Nichols is devolving rather than evolving as a filmmaker.
Some critics described the film as thoughtful scifi (I guess if it's not based on a Marvel Comic, they think it's deep and meaningful), but it was pretty thin - all atmosphere with no underlying theme or substance. It's not up to the level of a really thoughtful scifi film such as Arrival, which leaves its audience contemplating how language can not only be a barrier to communication, but also shape and limit our perceptions of reality.
I had great hopes for this film because Nichols' earlier, "Take Shelter", was an insightful exploration of the onset of schizophrenia and its impending disastrous impact on an individual and his family.
But with "Midnight Special, it seems as though Nichols is devolving rather than evolving as a filmmaker.