Review: Cloverfield

By: The Dweeb

April 2008

DVD Features Video: 1.85:1 Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 - Deleted Scenes - Alternative Endings - Outtakes - The Making Of Cloverfield - Featurettes - Commentary By Director Matt Reeves - Hidden Research Into Case Designate Cloverfield Theatrical release: 1/18/2008 DVD released on 4/22/2008 by Paramount Running time of 84 minutes Starring: Jessica Lucas, Lizzy Caplan, Odette Yustman, Mike Vogel, Michael Stahl-David, T.J. Miller Director: Matt Reeves Plot: Cloverfield follows five New Yorkers from the perspective of hand held video camera. The movie is exactly the length of a DV Tape and a sub-plot is established by showing bits and pieces of video previously recorded on the tape that is being recorded over. The movie starts as a monster of unknown origin destroys a building. As they go to investigate, parts of the building and the head of the Statue of Liberty come raining down. The movie follows their adventure trying to escape and save a friend, a love interest of the main character.

The much hyped and ballyhooed film from the master of of mystery, suspense and promotion J.J. Abrams finally crushes its way onto the home video market. Cloverfield, the odd title for what is essentially a monster movie was impressive during its run up to theatrical release by generating a lot of hype online, and yet very little information about the film came out beforehand. So, now here it is unwrapped for you. So what does the Cloverfield title mean? Who is Kaiser Sose? Whoops, wrong movie sorry. Definitely I have to give credit to Abrams and director Matt Reeves for trying something unconventional, and at this point I’m not sure if I love it or hate it. I have mixed feelings for the horror genre, or in this case monster movie as they often fall into the old trappings of this sort of film as a reason to move the plot along, what little there is.

So what can one expect when popping in this film for the first time? Uniquely it is shot completely in the first person perspective from a hand held camera, and it has no notable star power attached which is a strength for the film. No ego fulfillment can get in the way, just pure cheesiness instead. I felt like I was watching Godzilla meets Gossip Girl, you know hip young New Yorkers intertwined into some sort of soap opera type drama that gets interrupted when this big ole monster decides to stomp Manhattan. Or maybe its a movie about Ambercrombie and Fitch models running amok. Is it tongue in cheek? I don’t know, it almost could be. It is a lot of fun though, at the expense of New York once again. Be warned though, if you suffer from motion sickness this film may be too much for you.

That’s one thing I thought was a great idea and yet pissed me off at the same time. The one camera shot for the entire movie was pure genius, you just couldn’t see what was going on the entire time and I wanted soooo bad to see what was happening around them. The audience now becomes a part of the movie, except you can’t see over your own shoulder. Dammit! What was that thing that just ran by? What’s going on? Using this filming technique the audience is in the dark like the characters are. This thing totally shows up from out of nowhere, and they were just at a going away party and now the Statue of Liberty’s head is at the front door.

Cloverfield can be a great ride, but what ticks me off is the sheer stupidity of these characters. Why do films like these always go with the idiots? No, don’t go that way fool! I just absolutely hate that, but I suppose then we wouldn’t have a movie to watch now would we? We don’t learn much about our main characters, except they can do a lot of running and screaming even after several cocktails. What sets this film in motion is the sub plot of Rob’s (Michael Stahl-David) fling with Beth (Odette Yustman), which causes him to go find her instead of leave like everyone else. And then, even though they somehow survive getting to her place, she is still alive even though she has rebar sticking out of her chest. For the rest of the film she is able to run around like the rest of the fools without bleeding to death. Huh? Come on guys! Lets not blow it with this crap.

Since this was filmed on a hand held camera, the film is dark, grainy and shaky. Oh so very shaky as there is much running involved. Enough running to cover the New York Marathon if need be. Cloverfield can be seen as a chase movie for its entire length. The DVD also comes with several featurettes, nothing really surprising actually and at least all the camera stuff on these is static! Its mostly left overs and promotional stuff. My one complaint is the ending, it was so abrupt! I won’t spoil it here, find out for yourself. You have been warned!

Reviewer’s Opinion: RENT IT!!