At first glance, Midnight Special appears to have nothing special about it. The official synopsis says that a dad goes on the run with his boy, after discovering that the kid has special powers. Basically, it seems to be yet another movie trying to cash in on the success of the superhero genre. But, in taking a closer look, one realizes that this movie is indeed something else, something in the same vein as Chronicle - only better, given the actors and the director involved in the project.
Midnight Special is directed by Jeff Nichols, who did a terrific job writing and directing Take Shelter and Mud. The movie stars Michael Shannon (Zod in Man of Steel), who also starred in Take Shelter; Adam Driver (Kylo Ren in The Force Awakens); Joel Edgerton (Black Mass and Warrior); and Kirsten Dunst (Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy, Melancholia).
The first trailer for the movie was released back in November, and it just teased the overall plot and hinted at the fanaticism of people. You can watch it below:
It can be argued that Batman v Superman also debates the same issue - but, for this blockbuster, the superhero spectacle is front and center, while the idea falls way behind. That is why Midnight Special is a movie to watch.
The second trailer was just released, and it focuses on the little boy's special powers. It can be argued that it doesn't bring too much to the table. However, it certainly shows that the characters aren't as thin as it usually happens in the genre. You can check out the second trailer below:
In a year filled with major superhero releases, one might believe that Midnight Special cannot find its place. But this is exactly the reason why we want to see it: because it is a breath of fresh air, in which the story prevails over the action.
Midnight Special will be released in the US on the 18th of March.
Click here for worldwide release dates.