I have seen some really good movies during the first quarter of 2016; Midnight Special is the first truly great one. With three films (Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter and Mud) under his belt, filmmaker Jeff Nichols has been on the edge of hitting it big. His science-fiction adventure is intelligent, exciting, mysterious and unpredictable. Nichols’ film proudly wears influences ranging from Spielberg’s Close Encounters to Carpenter’s Starman to Stephen King’s Firestarter to everything Michael Mann. Despite such familiar trappings, Nichols surprises, occasionally shocks and thoroughly tweaks the emotions as a father (Michael Shannon) seeks to protect his son (Jaeden Lieberher) from a cult, the government and who knows what else.

This sci-fi twist on the child prophet story may not seem fresh, but it is narratively far from its expiration date. Young Alton Meyer sports blue goggles to keep his eyes from emitting a blinding light à la Cyclops of the X-Men. Alton’s assorted powers appeal to his adopted father, Brother Calvin (Sam Shepard), who runs a cult called the Ranch. Alton’s birth father, Roy, hits the road with Alton and taciturn pal Lucas (Joel Edgerton), barely a step ahead of the feds (represented by Adam Driver and the unanticipated Paul Sparks of “Boardwalk Empire” and “House of Cards”) or the Ranch’s tough guys (the familiarly unfamiliar Bill Camp). As their pursuers get closer, the audience wonders more and more where they are headed and why, especially as Alton’s powers continue to grow.

My sole complaint about Midnight Special is that it takes too long to answer the multitude of questions generated by this fantastically intriguing film, but that impatience is a fault of mine, not Nichols’ storytelling. Midnight Special is paced within an inch of perfection as it parcels out its revelations. You feel prepared for what will unfold based on prior genre experiences but never know the next destination. 

One unsurprising reveal is the extraordinariness of the acting ensemble. When is Shannon not the most fascinating actor in the room? When he is matched by a group of peers like Lieberher, who elevated both St. Vincent and Aloha, and Driver, who gives good Goldblum as an NSA egghead, that’s when. Edgerton may never be a household name, but the Warrior star deserves to never again be confused with Sam Worthington. For now, he proves he can stand toe to toe with Shannon.

As we enter the blockbuster months of summer, science fiction and superheroes promise to rule the big screen. All will outearn Nichols’s latest treat, but none will cast as long a cinematic shadow. See last year’s Tomorrowland, which Nichols’ film easily surpasses, despite the former’s employment of George Clooney, Brad Bird and House. Midnight Special is the tour de force sci-fi fans have been seeking; I hope they all take this opportunity to join forces with independent film fans to see it.