This film will be available to rent on 1 October
Midnight Special
Jeff Nichols, the acclaimed chronicler of American delirium, presents an imaginative sci-fi about an otherworldly child pursued by the FBI and a shadowy cult.
Director: Jeff Nichols
Overview
Over the course of three acclaimed features director Jeff Nichols has established himself as a stylish chronicler of fevered American delirium, and his fourth feature finds him adding a supernatural element to another story of dangerous fanaticism. Roy (Michael Shannon) and Lucas (Joel Edgerton) are two men whose lives have been turned over in the service to Roy’s son Alton, an eight-year-old boy with mysterious powers. On the run from both the Texan cult from which they’ve fled, and the keenly interested FBI, they offer round-the-clock protection and willingness to flee at a moment’s notice.
As they make their way across the country, meeting up with the boy’s long-lost mother (Kirsten Dunst) along the way, Alton’s strange out-of-body experiences become ever more dangerous to those trying to protect him. Nichols effortlessly moves up a gear in both budget and stature with this intelligent science fiction, which establishes his newfound skill with special effects set-pieces alongside his previously proven proficiency for offbeat drama and intense performances. While the redoubtable Michael Shannon is as compelling as ever, Midnight Special is more of an ensemble piece than Nichols’ previous works, boasting a range of fine performances including Adam Driver as an FBI investigator. Combining the imaginative credibility of the best US indie work with the adrenaline excitement of genre cinema, Midnight Special is a richly rewarding ride.
Related
The Beast The Beast
Fantasy 2022 145 mins Director: Bertrand Bonello
Léa Seydoux wanders through a maze of past, present and uncertain future in Bertrand Bonello’s audacious blend of period drama and conceptual crystal-gazing.
Robot Dreams Robot Dreams
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 103 mins Director: Pablo Berger
Spanish director Pablo Berger delivers a rich and emotionally engaging dialogue-free animation about friendship, set in a bustling 1980s New York City.
Demon Seed Demon Seed
Science Fiction 1977 94 mins Director: Donald Cammell
Visionary Scottish filmmaker Donald Cammell directs this claustrophobic ‘home-invasion’ sci-fi thriller based upon Dean Koontz’s best-selling novel.
2001: A Space Odyssey 2001: A Space Odyssey
Science Fiction 1968 149 mins Director: Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick took science fiction cinema in a grandly intelligent new direction with this epic story of man’s quest for knowledge.
Vesper Vesper
Action and Adventure 2022 114 mins Director: Kristina Buozyte and Bruno Samper
In a desolate post-apocalyptic future, a young teenage survivor has to avoid scrutiny from her uncle (a menacing Eddie Marsan) and the ruthless authorities pursuing her in this dark and dangerous fairytale.
After Blue (Dirty Paradise) After Blue (Dirty Paradise)
Fantasy 2021 129 mins Director: Bertrand Mandico
A mother and daughter living in a post-apocalyptic future are sent to hunt down and kill an evil demon hell-bent on destruction.
The Thing The Thing
Horror 1982 109 mins Director: John Carpenter
Twelve men at an Antarctic research station battle a shape-shifting alien that hides in human form, in John Carpenter’s ground-breaking sci-fi horror.
Upstream Colour Upstream Colour
Science Fiction 2013 96 mins Director: Shane Carruth
Shane Carruth’s startlingly original and beautifully conceived drama follows two lovers as they recover from infection by a mind-altering parasite.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Drama 2004 103 mins Director: Michel Gondry
Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet play the couple who fall in love so quickly it seems they must have known each other in a past life ... only to discover they did.
The Congress The Congress
Drama 2013 123 mins Director: Ari Folman
Ari Folman’s follow up to Waltz with Bashir is a hallucinatory fable about an actress whose digital image is controlled by a Hollywood studio.
The Untamed The Untamed
Fantasy 2016 98 mins Director: Amat Escalante
Amat Escalante follows Heli with a boundary-pushing, mind-blowing mix of sex, sci-fi and social drama.
The Endless The Endless
Horror 2017 112 mins Director: Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson
Two brothers who escaped a cult are drawn back in by a mysterious message… Acclaimed directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (Spring) return with another hybrid piece of raging intensity.
Knives Out Knives Out
Thriller 2019 130 mins Director: Rian Johnson
Daniel Craig is the Kentucky Fried Poirot with all-star suspects - Chris Evans, Ana de Armas and Toni Collette among them - in this nimble and brilliant crime caper.
99 Homes 99 Homes
Drama 2014 112 mins Director: Ramin Bahrani
With precision and pertinence, Ramin Bahrani’s drama reveals the human cost of the 21st-century economic crisis.
Master Gardener Master Gardener
Drama 2022 111 mins Director: Paul Schrader
Joel Edgerton stars as a meticulous horticulturalist with a dark past, in Paul Schrader’s creeping gritty thriller.
Kensuke's Kingdom Kensuke's Kingdom
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 84 mins Director: Neil Boyle and Kirk Hendry
Michael Morpurgo’s beloved novel is brought to life in this delightful, animated tale of a young castaway who discovers he’s not alone.
Unicorns Unicorns
Romance 2023 120 mins Director: Sally El Hosaini and James Krishna Floyd
Sally El Hosaini and James Krishna Floyd have created a moving romance between an Essex mechanic and a South Asian drag queen.
Call Jane Call Jane
Drama 2022 90 mins Director: Phyllis Nagy
Elizabeth Banks and Sigourney Weaver star in this confident directorial debut from Carol screenwriter Phyllis Nagy about a network of women providing safe abortions in 1960s America.
Kill Kill
Action and Adventure 2023 105 mins Director: Nikhil Nagesh Bhat
A pair of commandos square off against savage bandits in this breathless action thriller set on a moving train.
Together with Lorenza Mazzetti Together with Lorenza Mazzetti
Documentary 2023 55 mins Director: Brighid Lowe
Brighid Lowe’s intimate documentary about the Italian-born artist and filmmaker who became a vital part of the Free Cinema movement in '50s Britain.
Phantom Parrot Phantom Parrot
Documentary 2023 85 mins Director: Kate Stonehill
A top-secret surveillance programme is revealed in this razor-sharp analysis of technology, human rights and structural racism.