Midnight Special

Initially, a big-budget thriller may come across as misplaced at a film festival, but Midnight Special is fueled by a moral gravitas and harrowing drama, placing it in the running as early favourite.

Roy (Michael Shannon) and his son Alton (Jaeden Lieberher) are pursued by law enforcement and the fanatical cult they escaped from, when it is discovered that Alton possesses mysterious supernatural powers. Shannon delivers another remarkable performance as the stonefaced guardian of Alton, driven by paternal love, but more importantly, a belief so powerful that he will blindly follow the child’s orders. It’s the quiet moments and the Southern setting that anchor the film, and work so well in counterpoint with the intensity of the pursuit and the display of powers. The audience truly gets a sense of the exhaustion the runaways feel when left alone in motel rooms to contemplate their next move.

The supporting cast, Adam Driver, Kirsten Dunst and Joel Edgerton in particular, deliver excellent performances that add complexity and doubt to Roy’s dogged determination. Much like Fukanaga did with True Detective, Jeff Nichols has developed his own style from masterfully blending a Southern Gothic aesthetic with the explosive twists and turns of the thriller genre. Nichols style is fully realized here, as he rigorously sidesteps clichés in avoiding superfluous explanation of the supernatural, and choosing not to succumb to maudlin melodrama.This is a film about faith and the different forms it takes. Whether the boy is seen as a saviour by the cult or a weapon by the national defenses, they are all witnesses to his powers. The characters, no matter how sceptical, allow themselves to be deluded into pursuing a path relentlessly no matter what the consequences. Combined with an unpredictable plot and the baffling climax,

This is a film about faith and the different forms it takes. Whether the boy is seen as a saviour by the cult or a weapon by the national defenses, they are all witnesses to his powers. The characters, no matter how sceptical, allow themselves to be deluded into pursuing a path relentlessly no matter what the consequences. Combined with an unpredictable plot and the baffling climax, Midnight Special is absolutely riveting.

Midnight Special is released nationwide on 8^th April 2016.

Read more of our reviews and interviews from the festival here.

For further information about the 66^th Berlin Film Festival 2016 visit here.

Watch the trailer for Midnight Special here: