Midnight Special

Director: Jeff Nichols Jeff Nichols

Overview

In this cryptic sci-fi adventure from writer/director Jeff Nichols, Roy (Michael Shannon) rescues his son Alton (Jaeden Lieberher) from a religious cult in Texas, whose members worship the boy for his supernatural powers. Along with a state trooper (Joel Edgerton), the pair go on a cross-country journey as they are hunted by federal agents, who believe Alton might be a threat to national security. Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver, and Sam Shepard co-star.

Product Details

Release Date:	06/21/2016
UPC:	0883929424443
Original Release:	2016
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	Warner Home Video
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:52:00
Sales rank:	46,908

Special Features

Take a Closer Look at Five Key Characters in Origins: Roy, Sarah, Lucas, Savior and Alton - Who are they and how much do they know? Get a deeper understanding of what drives them to do what they do; The Unseen World - Jeff Nichols shows how the unique, unseen world exists alongside our own, why only Alton can see it and what its existence to us

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Michael Shannon	Roy
Joel Edgerton	Lucas
Kirsten Dunst	Sarah
Adam Driver	Agent Sevier
Sam Shepard	Actor
Jaeden Lieberher	Alton
Bill Camp	Actor
Scott Haze	Actor
Paul Sparks	Actor
David Jensen	Actor
Sharon Landry	Actor,Actor
Dana Gourrier	Actor
Sharon Garrison	Actor
Allison King	Actor
Sean Bridgers	Actor
Lucy Faust	Actor
James Moses Black	Actor
Maureen Brennan	Actor
Ann Mahoney	Actor
Garrett Hines	Actor
Kerry Cahill	Actor
Wayne Pere	Actor
Dane Rhodes	Oil Worker
Lee Zurik	Actor
Nicondra Norwood	Actor
Billy Slaughter	Actor
Sam Malone	Actor
Sean Kaplan	Actor
James Dumont	Actor
Nancy Grace	Actor
Lynn Berry	Actor
David Wingo	Composer
Jaeden Martell	Alton

Technical Credits

Jeff Nichols

Jeff Nichols	Director,Screenwriter
Sarah Green	Producer
Brian Kavanaugh-Jones	Producer
Hans Graffunder	Executive Producer,Producer
Christos V. Konstantakopoulos	Executive Producer,Producer
Steven Mnuchin	Executive Producer
Glen Basner	Executive Producer,Producer
Jeremy Paul Bowker	Sound/Sound Designer
Larry Shorts	Special Effects
John S. Baker	Special Effects
Kyle Wasserman	Special Effects
R. Michael Bisetti	Special Effects
Scott Roark	Special Effects
Marshall T. Broyles	Special Effects
Alan Roberts	Special Effects
Francine Maisler	Casting
Scott Rogers	Stunts
Pud Cusack	Sound Effects

Editorial Reviews

If you're feeling burnt out by movies about comic-book superheroes that only exist to set up a connected "universe" and 11 impending sequels, consider checking out this superpower-infused thriller instead. Writer/director Jeff Nichols (Mud, Take Shelter) is a restrained storyteller who continues to hone his craft with each new project, and his Midnight Special is an absorbing tale filled to the brim with heart and soul. This stirring sci-fi chase film begins in medias res, as Roy Tomlin (Michael Shannon) is on the lam after rescuing his biological son Alton Meyer (Jaeden Lieberher) from a religious cult in Texas. Accompanied by Roy's gruff childhood friend Lucas (Joel Edgerton), the father and son are being chased by not only the cult -- whose leader (Sam Shepard) sees Alton as their savior -- but by the FBI and NSA, who have deemed the boy a threat to national security. Nichols brings the curious details of Alton's life into focus via character exposition over the course of the thriller. His mysterious, supernatural abilities form the cult's doctrine: They believe Alton has predicted the exact time and place where a potentially cataclysmic event will occur. The soft-spoken and goggle-clad boy actually based his prophecy on decoded governmental communications, which riles up the Feds and a bright NSA analyst named Paul Sevier (Adam Driver). Roy, Alton, and Lucas manage to reunite with Alton's birthmother Sarah (Kirsten Dunst), but his overwhelming powers -- which also include out-of-body episodes in which beams of light emanate from his eyes -- are increasingly taking their toll on his health. As the group attempt to evade those chasing them, Alton's visions lead them to Florida for the film's enchanting, enigmatic final act. The influences of J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg are palpably felt in Midnight Special, particularly when Nichols harnesses the aura of the fantastic young Lieberher in the same manner as his predecessors did with their preteen leads in, respectively, Super 8 and E.T. Nichols lets his story develop naturally, with the themes of faith, family, and mankind's place in the universe emerging fluidly amidst the backdrop of rural America. At the core of the narrative is the unwavering devotion between parent and child during extreme circumstances, and the result is the rare genre film that's as emotionally involving as it is visually appealing. Midnight Special is buoyed by some terrific acting. Lieberher carries himself with a wisdom and magnetism that's rare for his years. Shannon, who has appeared in each of Nichols' features thus far, shows why he's one of the best character actors in the business. Edgerton is excellent as the initially skeptical Lucas, a state trooper who is later willing to risk everything after he sees firsthand the gifts that Alton possesses. And Driver, so good at avoiding being typecast in roles, finds the humanity in the usually rigid stock character of the obsessive government employee. While Midnight Special gains much of its power from its slow-burn plotting, Nichols manages to keep the pace moving along with an effective combination of action, intrigue, and special effects. The film thrives on a sense of imagination and mystery, which ultimately works against it when it comes time to present answers at the end: The can of worms opened at the conclusion sure is a gorgeous, evocative can of worms, yet it feels slightly out of step with the sophisticated ambiguity of the rest of the story. But even if the movie's need to show its hand results in an unsatisfying payoff for some, Nichols has still crafted a captivating sci-fi thriller.