The film MIDNIGHT SPECIAL is a Nightmare of a Movie

MIDNIGHT SPECIAL is awful and a horrible waste of a talented actors: Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Adam Driver and Kirsten Dunst.  Dunst & Shannon are parents to son, Alton (Jaedan Lieberher.) Alton posses some special abilities that make him sought after by the US military & religious cults.  Jaedan is already a seasoned actor (St. Vincents co-starring Bill Murray & Melissa McCarthy.)   Alton is fleeing with his father & his cohort during the night.  This eerie, violent but unsuspenseful film is a cheap grab bag of E.T. and car chase killer/thrillers.  However, the movie lacks charm & excitement.  For all the fast car chases this movie drags on too long.  The hook comes when we see Alton's eyes turn into lightbeams.  We learn his father is fighting against all odds to…get somewhere, for some reason at some point.  Sheehan, Driver & Edgerton do their best to put some energy into this dreadful movie written & directed by Jeff Nichols (MUD, starring Matthew McConaughey.)  The same cannot be said for Dunst who acts like a dunce & Jaeden Lieberher fails to radiate emotion.  The sic-fi  E.T. twist ending is anti-climatic.  Whatever spectrum of curiosity is aroused gets doused.  Don't search for meaning from this spectrum of film genres.  MIDNIGHT SPECIAL is substellar and should stay in a dark cellar.