10 Years Ago, Adam Driver Starred In A Sci-Fi Movie That We Don't Talk About Enough

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Adam Driver made his mark on sci-fi history with his performance as Kylo Ren in the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy, but that's far from the only time the actor has delved into the world of science fiction. In between 2015's "The Force Awakens" and 2017's "The Last Jedi," he also teamed up with director Jeff Nichols for 2016's "Midnight Special," a much smaller sci-fi movie that doesn't get talked about nearly enough nowadays.

Nichols, of course, made a name for himself by directing the well-received 2011 drama/thriller "Take Shelter." He then proceeded to play a crucial role in the so-called McConaissance by casting Matthew McConaughey in "Mud," the acclaimed drama that further helped to revive the actor's career. After that, Nichols turned his attention to something radically different and, on the surface at least, a little more commercial in the form of "Midnight Special."

The movie centers on Roy (Michael Shannon), a man who goes on the run to protect his young son Alton (Jaeden Martell) in an attempt to uncover the truth about the boy's special powers. As Roy and Alton flee everything from religious extremists to local law enforcement, the whole thing gradually escalates to a nationwide manhunt involving top agencies of the U.S. government. All the same, Roy risks everything to continue protecting Alton, even with world-altering consequences on the line.

Driver, meanwhile, delivers a more subdued turn in the film (compared to his work as Kylo Ren) as NSA communications analyst Paul Sevier. The movie is filled with other great performances as well, including that from Martell, whom viewers will recognize as Bill from the 2017 box office mega-hit "It." This was a breakout role of sorts for him, and he's a truly impressive child movie actor, which is quite the accomplishment.

2016 was a banner year for blockbuster cinema, with the likes of "Captain America: Civil War," "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," "Zootopia," "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," "Moana," the record-breaking box office hit "Deadpool," and more all hitting theaters.

The problem was, even a decade ago, it was difficult for an original non-horror, non-kids movie to become a hit. Case in point: "Midnight Special" made less than $8 million at the box office despite earning positive reviews and having a supporting cast that included Kirsten Dunst ("Spider-Man") and Joel Edgerton ("Warrior"). It just never really got its day in court.

On the one hand, that's all the stranger since Jeff Nichols' movie is a superhero film of sorts (albeit not one based on Marvel or DC's comic books), and it reached theaters back when superhero movies were all the rage. Indeed, it's almost like an "X-Men" drama gone wrong à la the Stephen King novel "Firestarter," although Nichols' film isn't quite so bleak and has shades of "E.T." (despite being much more adult in nature). Then again, it's also a bit artsy (for lack of a better word), especially compared to the "Aquaman" movie that Nichols nearly directed.

As for Adam Driver, "Midnight Special" is far from the only hidden sci-fi gem in his filmography (see: the dinosaur adventure "65"). However, since I expect many people reading this have yet to see this film, I won't divulge any details beyond that. All I can say is that, a decade removed, Nichols' sci-fi flick feels all the more special in the here and now. It's well worth seeking out.

You can grab "Midnight Special" on Blu-ray or DVD from Amazon.