Movie Review: Cloverfield
Ever since the White House was blown to bits in Independence Day a decade ago, Hollywood has tried to outdo itself with ever-more spectacular scenes of urban devastation. We've had giant monsters, aliens, earthquakes, asteroids and tidal waves, and with Cloverfield, we return to the giant monster. Luckily this isn't a retread of Roland Emmerich's woeful Godzilla remake, but Lost creator JJ Abrams' hip, handheld take on the traditional monsterfest...
It's hard for filmmakers to excite audiences with scenes of mass destruction these days. Ever since the White House was blown to bits in Independence Day a decade ago, Hollywood has tried to outdo itself with ever-more spectacular scenes of urban devastation. We've had giant monsters, aliens, earthquakes, asteroids and tidal waves, and with Cloverfield, we return to the giant monster. Luckily this isn't a retread of Roland Emmerich’s woeful Godzilla remake, but Lost creator JJ Abrams' hip, handheld take on the traditional monsterfest...
Cloverfield's gimmick is that it's shot entirely on video cameras held by its protagonists, a group of young partygoers who find their Saturday night interrupted by something determined to level New York. Quite what this is remains hidden for much of the movie, but it quickly becomes clear that our heroes better get out of the city if they want to survive. Unlike Godzilla or King Kong, the audience never sees anything that the main characters don't, adding a real sense of immediacy and danger...
Aside from Godzilla, the two biggest influences on Cloverfield are The Blair Witch Project and the real-life events of 9/11. Like Blair Witch, this is filmed in ultra-shaky vision, and the scenes of terrified New Yorkers running through the streets from some unseen aggressor are all too reminiscent of September 11th.
Away from the style, producer Abrams and director Matt Reeves stick pretty closely to the disaster movie template and don't really offer up much in the way of characterisation – it's hard to care that much when the young cast start getting chewed by the monster. And inevitably the movie falls foul to the same flaw as all films of its type – when you've got a gigantic prehistoric creature on your tail, wouldn't you just put the camera down?
Nevertheless, none of this stops Cloverfield from being a hugely entertaining thrill ride. Just as art-house dramas feel like a breath of fresh air in the summer, it's good to have an old-fashioned monster movie providing a crowd-pleasing alternative to all the worthy Oscar-contenders currently doing the rounds.
This video was recommended by 2 users out of 3
- Your comments
Anonymous Coward 21 February 2008 01:50pm
If it hadn't been for the hand held camera effect, this film wouldn't have been as powerful. I'm not a great fan of sci fi but definitely recommend this as a real 'edge of the seat' experience...
Anonymous Coward 20 February 2008 04:56pm
Oh I am so so thankful I only paid £4.00 to watch this movie. The whole movie was done in shaky vision and after the first few moments became annoying along with ?Oh my god? said over and over again. Not very PC for the atheists watching the movie!
Then we have the phone that works in the subway but not out in the street! I want one of those.
For those thinking of paying good money to watch this film, do yourself a favour and watch the movie review on your computer as you see the start, middle and end.
Frank
Anonymous Coward 18 February 2008 07:19pm
Thought the monster was ace a real sense of effort has gone into this film felt like its had a good few reviews.I await the sequel, as i loved the creature truly original.
Chris
Anonymous Coward 17 February 2008 09:24pm
I didnt like the film that much. I dont like the way it just ends.
Anonymous Coward 13 February 2008 04:28pm
i loved the film cloverfield. its totally different and you only see what the characters see. i was on the edge of my seat and felt like i was in the movie
Anonymous Coward 13 February 2008 02:47pm
i thought this film was over rated
Anonymous Coward 10 February 2008 11:50pm
I thought it was pretty good. Good effect, characters weren´t great but they werent as important as the feeling you were one of them. Ps you film buffs need to relax a bit. Just go to a film and enjoy its good points!
Anonymous Coward 04 February 2008 03:13pm
too much footage, not enuf review here - do you like it or not?
Anonymous Coward 03 February 2008 11:56pm
This was an incredibly 'meh' film.
The protagonists were the most unlikeable gang of t**ts ever gathered on screen, the monster CGI was weak and JJ Abrams style of 'Oooo its a mystery - therefore you dont need closure' might have cut it for the Lost idiots but when I'm paying £7 to see a film it starts to get annoying.
nightwolf007 02 February 2008 04:16pm
THE very best monster movie there is today. Makes Godzilla look like 'Bambi' (no offence to Roland Emmerich) The use of the camcorder for the entire visuals has given it the perfect 'I was there' feeling and the reveal of the creature was excellently kept. I hope that there will be a 'Cloverfield 2' and that there will be more carnage and sfx like maybe it destroying Yankee stadium or it taking out the military, throwing tanks around like rag dolls or swatting planes out of the sky with his tail....personally, i'm always on the monsters side...let him cause total CHAOS!! One thing's for sure, if there is going to be any sequels, DON'T KILL HIM OFF!! this monster is too good to just end.
- Sponsored Links
Anonymous Coward 25 August 2008 04:08pm
I really would not like to be in a real crisis situation with anyone who found this movie tense or exciting, your easily aroused if you did.
Its not Art, nor a new way of making a movie, tense apocalyptic or any other adjective the only one that fits it is CRAP.
Don't waste your money, time or otherwise how can any movie that goes for 35 mins approx about someones going away party and then end on the roof with oooh look a monster be taken seriously, it reminds you of those low budget sci fi movies from the 50's of two plastic toys battling for earth domination in the bath. Not art!!! in fact buy yourseldf a good vid cam and go make movies yourself you can only do better than this.
If you get the movie for free eventually, with health food dried clover don't waste 84 mins watching it
Post your own comment here