#12 - Cloverfield

Directed by Matt Reeves
2008 Sci-Fi/Thriller
Rated PG-13

NOTE: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS POSSIBLE SPOILERS.

****


Rarely have I so anticipated a movie i've known so little about. But starting with the trailer that played before Transformers, Cloverfield has had me HOOKED. I've obsessed over every website, "clue," etc., and even when the hype died down a bit, I was still eagerly anticipatinig it. So did it pay off? In a word: yes. In case you somehow don't know what the movie is about, it follows a small group of people in New York City during what seems to be a monster attack. Not much more you need to know. This movie works because of two things; it's innovative (at least for this genre) style, and it's characters. For a movie that is taking place during a monster attack, there is a surprising amount of character development. I truly felt for all the characters (especially Hud, the camera guy; definitely the most relatable character (for me anyway) in the movie); when certain "things" happen to certain ones (c'mon, i'm not giving anything away here) it almost felt like you were there with them, losing a friend. And this is due to the second thing that makes the movie work, the camera style. It is completely handheld (the premise being that it is a party for main character Rob, who is leaving for Japan the next day, and his best friend Hud is recording it), and while certainly not for everyone, it heightens the tension to an insane level. When you see the monster (except for the big reveal of it near the end) it is only in glimpses. The acting is surprisingly good all around; for a young cast with, for the most part, not a lot of credits to their name, they definitely make the characters relatable and believable. It's really hard for me to find a flaw in this film; if anything, there are times when it's hard to believe Hud would have the courage to keep filming, when it would've been easier (and SAFER) to just drop it. But other than that, this is a balls to the wall, intense action flick that hooks into you about ten minutes in and never lets go.