“Midnight Special,” like great science-fiction, uses its extraordinary elements as a metaphor. In this case, the special powers bestowed upon Alton Meyer (Jaeden Lieberher) represent the disabilities found in a special needs child. These powers differentiate him from the norm, causing abnegation from society. His parents, Roy & Sarah (Michael Shannon & Kirsten Dunst), will stop at nothing to protect him, going so far as to defy authority. Early in the film, Roy and his state trooper friend, Lucas (Joel Edgerton), bear witness to a car accident. As Lucas tries to tend to the victim and reason with the police officer, Roy demands he be shot, as he and the situation at hand pose a threat to Alton. Alton’s safety is of greater concern; nobody else matters but him.
Alton is slowly dying. He grows weaker by the day and most likely won’t make it past a few days if he doesn’t receive medical attention. Lucas pleads with Roy to take him to a hospital, but to no avail. The boy needs to be taken to salvation, and any stoppage along the way prevents him from making it in time. At its core, this is a film about the inner turmoil parents have in aiding a special needs child. Only they know what’s right for him, seeing the outside world as a threat. They struggle with the knowledge that they’re losing their son, whether it be to society or the grim reaper.
What makes “Midnight Special” work is that it can be taken at face value. One can overlook or simply reject the special needs metaphor and still enjoy the film. The parental drama isn’t predicated on the symbolism; it wouldn’t hold up if it was. The drama comes from desperation, in this case a race against time. If Alton doesn’t make it to the mysterious salvation in time, the world as we know it could end. Alton has already caused damage in his path, causing a meteor shower to strike a gas station. One could view the apocalyptic connotations as a metaphor on Roy and Sarah’s lives coming to an end if their son’s does or one can take it at face value. Either way works because both represent the same danger: death.
All of the fears and anguish felt by the parents resonates not because of the special needs analogy, but because of the emotional connection to Alton. One can believe that Alton is an alien taken in by Roy and Sarah and their plight is similar to that of the one in “E.T.:” government officials viewing a foreign innocence as a threat. After all, the entire driving point of the parents is avoiding the authority tracking them, more specifically NSA agent Paul Sevier (Adam Driver). Jeff Nichols is never quite clear if this is indeed the case. He keeps an air of mystery over Alton, which makes for a more beguiling experience. The less we know, the more engaged we become. Besides, all we need to connect with the film is the love of the family unit.
There’s no denying that Alton has special powers. Him shooting hypersonic beams out of his eyes and telepathically calling down a meteor shower aren’t figments of anyone’s imagination. What we’re not sure of is exactly how he got them. There’s an overt belief by a religious cult that believe him to be a messiah, but this falls a bit on deaf ears. It may be because it is so overt, or simply because it falls by the wayside until the finale. The cult themselves feel more like a red herring, but not one that sinks the film. Nichols is able to salvage the cult by having them act as another aspect of society that deems Alton as anything but human, which feeds into Roy & Sarah’s paranoia.
“Midnight Special” is a tremendous film no matter how you digest it! This is because of Jeff Nichols’ keen sense of humanity. He’s made a career out of down-to-earth dramas, all of which center on the human spirit. He has a perspicacious understanding of human drama, much in the same way that David Gordon Green does. He handles his characters with care, making sure the film is about them, not the special effects. The science-fiction elements are an ends to a mean, with the focal point being on the family’s bond. This in turn makes the threats encompassing the film all the more volatile as we, much like the parents, are desperate to see Alton survive.
Final Rating: A-