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This Is Undoubtedly One Of The Most Underrated Sci-fi Films Of The Last 10 Years
Director Jeff Nichols has showcased a different side of his filmmaking with the unique sci-fi thriller 'Midnight Special'.
Director Jeff Nichols made his debut in 2007 with his beloved indie film Shotgun Stories starring Michael Shannon. He followed this with the successful thriller Take Shelter and the hit film Mud featuring Matthew McConaughey. In 2016, Nichols released his most expensive project, but unfortunately, it flopped significantly.
This is the sci-fi thriller Midnight Special featuring Michael Shannon, Adam Driver, Joel Edgerton, and Kirsten Dunst. Undoubtedly, this is one of Nichols' best films, yet it flopped enormously and not many people are still talking about it today.
Alton Meyer (Jaeden Martell) is a boy with bizarre powerful gifts and strange weaknesses. In the middle of the night, his father, Roy (Shannon), kidnaps him from the isolated cult that practically worships him and is determined to win him back at any cost.
At the same time, Alton's gifts have been noticed by the U.S. government. Paul Sevier (Driver) from the National Security Agency is leading the federal pursuit of Alton and has his own motives. These rival hunting parties force father and son into a desperate race that could change everything.
Midnight Special had a reasonably low budget of 18 million dollars and received rave reviews. The consensus on Rotten Tomatoes states: "The intriguing mysteries in Midnight Special may not be understood by everyone, but the journey is ambitious, entertaining, and wonderfully acted."
Unfortunately, the film only grossed 7 million dollars at the global box office, making it the biggest flop of Nichols' career.
Fortunately, the failure of Midnight Special did not put an end to Nichols' career. He released the film Loving in the same year as Midnight Special and last year the well-received The Bikeriders hit theaters. It seems we won't have to wait long for his next project: Land of Opportunity.
In the early 2010s, Nichols sold a script of Land of Opportunity to HBO for a series. It would be a "dystopian tale" set in Arkansas about a new Great Depression where oil runs out and the dollar collapses. However, HBO decided not to proceed with the project, and Nichols has now turned it into a feature film starring Brad Pitt.
This is the sci-fi thriller Midnight Special featuring Michael Shannon, Adam Driver, Joel Edgerton, and Kirsten Dunst. Undoubtedly, this is one of Nichols' best films, yet it flopped enormously and not many people are still talking about it today.
Story
Alton Meyer (Jaeden Martell) is a boy with bizarre powerful gifts and strange weaknesses. In the middle of the night, his father, Roy (Shannon), kidnaps him from the isolated cult that practically worships him and is determined to win him back at any cost.
At the same time, Alton's gifts have been noticed by the U.S. government. Paul Sevier (Driver) from the National Security Agency is leading the federal pursuit of Alton and has his own motives. These rival hunting parties force father and son into a desperate race that could change everything.
Low Budget, Yet A Flop
Midnight Special had a reasonably low budget of 18 million dollars and received rave reviews. The consensus on Rotten Tomatoes states: "The intriguing mysteries in Midnight Special may not be understood by everyone, but the journey is ambitious, entertaining, and wonderfully acted."
Unfortunately, the film only grossed 7 million dollars at the global box office, making it the biggest flop of Nichols' career.
Next Project
Fortunately, the failure of Midnight Special did not put an end to Nichols' career. He released the film Loving in the same year as Midnight Special and last year the well-received The Bikeriders hit theaters. It seems we won't have to wait long for his next project: Land of Opportunity.
In the early 2010s, Nichols sold a script of Land of Opportunity to HBO for a series. It would be a "dystopian tale" set in Arkansas about a new Great Depression where oil runs out and the dollar collapses. However, HBO decided not to proceed with the project, and Nichols has now turned it into a feature film starring Brad Pitt.
