Today’s quick review: Cloverfield. Rob Hawkins (Michael Stahl-David), a young executive bound for Japan, is at his going-away party in New York when an enormous monster attacks, toppling buildings and plunging the city into chaos. Rob must lead his best friend Hud (T.J. Miller), his brother Jason (Mike Vogel), Jason’s girlfriend Lily (Jessica Lucas), and Lily’s friend Marlena (Lizzy Caplan) across Manhattan to find a safe way off the island.
Cloverfield is a found-footage sci-fi disaster thriller that follows a band of survivors as they attempt to escape from a catastrophic monster attack. The entire film is shot from the perspective of Hud’s video camera, which he was using to tape Rob’s party. Cloverfield takes this simple premise and runs with it. The stakes are high, the thrills are effective, the characters are well-drawn, and the mystery is dribbled out in little doses.
Cloverfield goes far on quality alone. The premise is not that far off from other sci-fi survival films, but its execution helps set it apart. The movie moves forward at a steady clip, beginning with a glimpse into its characters’ lives before exploding into a tense, uncertain survival scenario. Cloverfield packs a wide variety of peril and character development into its short run time, while its found footage style keeps it grounded and personal.
Another point in Cloverfield’s favor is its sense of mystery. The monster attack happens without warning, causes total chaos, and has no obvious explanation. The monster’s appearance and capabilities are revealed gradually throughout the movie, but the important questions—what it is, where it came from, and what it wants—are left largely unanswered. What’s there is enough to pique the audience’s curiosity without giving too much away.
Still, Cloverfield’s particular style will not appeal to everyone. The found footage gimmick leads to shaky camerawork and restricted storytelling. While Cloverfield takes advantage of the medium in clever ways and weaves in bits of context as needed, it’s still a limited perspective on a much larger conflict. The other potential weak point is the characters, who are just likable enough to be sympathetic but not enough to fully bond with.
Watch Cloverfield when you’re in the mood for well-paced thrills and efficient storytelling. Cloverfield has what it takes to spin a gripping tale out of a simple premise. Skip it if you’re looking for a tidy plot or you dislike shaky camerawork. For another dark, found-footage sci-fi movie, check out Chronicle. For another disaster movie about a monster, check out Godzilla. For a gritty sci-fi survival movie, try I Am Legend or War of the Worlds.
7.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it the same for being a gritty thriller that delivers exactly what it promises.