I When i went to see this 'homage to Spielberg', i had very high expectations, and unfortunately, these were not met. JJ Abrams, creator of 'Lost' is a 'mega-fan' of Steven Spielberg's work (ET, Close Encounters) and has made this film (co-produced by big Steve) to honour the man that has received the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award (and several Oscars).
The brilliant young star Joel Courtney carries the film as a boy living in 1979 Ohio, that is making a zombie film with his friends (one of which is played by a boy that was in Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium), and witnesses a train crash that spurs off a chain of events involving the US Air Force and a monster!!!!!!
It isn't good. I'm sorry. I really wanted to like it, in the same way that i really wanted to hate 'The Smurfs', but this was too bad and 'The Smurfs' was..was...well, i admit it, TOO F***ING GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Courtney will play Tom Sawyer in a new version of the Mark Twain story, which is wonderful news.
Elle Fanning will miss out on another role, because she just isn't as good as her sister, Dakota.
Just as Abrams will miss out on another director's job, because he isn't as good as his hero, Steven Spielberg.