Review: Cloverfield

So I just caught the premiere of Cloverfield here in Boston and before I begin my review I must say this:

Yes, you see the monster. A lot.

Now that I've got that off the table I'll give you the low down on J.J. Abrams (Lost, Alias) new monster flick. Now the key word here is "new." These monster godzilla-ish movies are nothing new to film enthusiast, but as Abrams and Co. wipe the dust off this classic genre, they also add new ways of presenting it. Dare I say they have set a new standard?

With the exception of the characters sometimes having unrealistic luck and a slightly cliche beginning, Cloverfield is truly enjoyable. Even working in an outdated genre, director Matt Reeves was able to break the shackles of the traditional monster flick. This is mostly done because of the camcorder style filming. In fact, the entire film is shot through a characters camcorder (think Blair Witch Project, but better).

As the film opened I was nervous that the camera movement would distract me from the movie itself, but instead it was the film that distracted me from the camera movement. The intensity and velocity of the story makes the last hour feel like 20 minutes and that shaking camera a non-factor.

Granted I was still a little dizzy leaving the theater...

Besides being "different" the camcorder style filming provides other advantages for Cloverfield. This includes focusing the entire film around one group of friends. There are no other perspectives. This makes the movie uniquely unpredictable and addictive. You don't see the monster's beginnings, you don't see the president, and you don't see Dennis Quaid. Instead you see several relatively unknown actors trying to get the hell away from that thing.

Altogether Cloverfield is a fantastic film that challenges its genre. This is the kind of movie that is meant to be fun and meant to be enjoyed. This is not an epic film, instead it is a raw film. There is no montages or background music. All you have is just five friends and a monster. Do not expect a traditional ending either, remember were dealing with J.J. Abrams here.

Website
IMDB
Trailer

Cheers!

College Kid: Brack