Lanterns Star Kyle Chandler Was In An Underrated Sci-Fi Movie Streaming On Paramount Plus

In the space of a single season, "Lanterns" star Kyle Chandler's handling of Hal Jordan has made it so that anyone else taking on the role now feels almost unimaginable. It feels on par with Robert Downey Jr. taking on Tony Stark, or even Ryan Reynolds giving the comic an accurate version of Deadpool after he himself wore the ring of the Green Lantern (and, in the process, gave us one of the worst comic book movies of all-time). For Chandler, spending time in the sci-fi realm isn't anything new, after appearing in the MonsterVerse in "Godzilla vs. Kong" as well as Peter Jackson's underrated remake of "King Kong" back in 2005. In 2011, however, Chandler appeared in a sci-fi movie from the co-creator of "Lost" with strong "Stranger Things" vibes, before the world even knew about the Upside Down, and it's streaming on Paramount+.

"Super 8" was written and directed by J.J. Abrams and featured Kyle Chandler as Deputy Sheriff Lamb, whose hometown finds itself in the middle of a government conspiracy and a supernatural visitor that his estranged son, Joe (Joel Courtney), uncovers with his friends. Fuelled by the Amblin-esque films of old, "Super 8" was superb. In fact, we'd dare say that if Netflix hadn't taken the Duffer Brothers up on their idea, it would have earned the status of a modern classic, particularly when you look at its success at the box office and with critics.

When it was released in 2011, "Super 8" earned a commendable $260 million against a $50 million budget and received an equally respectable score from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie clocked in at 81%, with critics praising both its heart and head-rattling spectacle. Anthony Quinn of The Independent promised that the movie would keep you hooked, saying, "What keeps us enthralled is its nostalgic sensibility, partly for the time but mostly for its old-school film-making values." Sukhdev Sandhu from The Daily Telegraph also complimented the film for its love of movie-making, writing, "'Super 8' is the sweetest film of 2011, an affectionate shout-out to amateurs everywhere.

Chandler's turn as the deputy and father figure feels like the middle ground between Roy Scheider's Chief Brody from "Jaws" and David Harbour's Hopper from "Stranger Things." Either way, what he delivered definitely caught the eye of critics, with Thelma Adams from US Weekly saying, "A strong Kyle Chandler enforces order as Joe's lawman dad, while Elle Fanning catapults from child star to romantic heroine as a troubled teen."

That's the magic of "Super 8." Chandler is certainly a great fatherly hero of the piece, but it's as much of an ensemble effort as "Stranger Things" and even the "IT" films and "Welcome To Derry." Give it a watch if you've been missing out on both; it's a movie that has the magic of a cult classic, and a brilliant one at that.