From DVD Talk: 

Super 8 gets off to a great start and keeps the momentum going. Our band of amateur filmmakers is immensely likable; they are, as one crew member points out during a production documentary, "just beginning to notice girls, but still dorky". The early "train derailment" sequence is mighty impressive, but make no mistake about it: Super 8 isn't all action and suspense. More often than not, it follows Joe's crumbling family life after his mom dies in a factory accident...and eventually, his interest in the talented young Alice. The characters are memorable and performances are excellent; so much so that I often forgot a dangerous creature was lurking about. Even so, Super 8 maintains a strong sense of mystery, while the obvious love-letter to budding young filmmakers serves as an interesting backdrop.