|
Cloverfield
Directed by: Matt Reeves
Starring: Mike Vogel
Genre:
Thriller/Horror
Run Time: 85
min.
Release Date:
January 2008
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
It’s always nice to see
someone in Hollywood take chances and move outside normal filming
practices. Although CLOVERFIELD isn’t wholly original, it does
have an original feel thanks to the incredibly myopic look the audience
gets via its length through one camera lens.
Labeled as GODZILLA meets THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT,
Cloverfield definitely incorporates portions of both but comes out
the other end as its own animal.
The myopic view was seen, as stated earlier, in The Blair Witch
Project, which had a handheld camera being buoyed around by an
amateur film maker, allowing the viewer to get up-close and personal
with the story. With Cloverfield, we get the same experience but
with a bit more high-tech status along the way. New York skyscrapers
crumble and explode. The head of lady liberty comes hurtling down the
street. The Brooklyn Bridge gets twisted and ripped apart like tissue
paper. And the “monster” causing all this ...well ...you’ll have to see
that for yourself. I will say, however, that it was nice to only get
glimpses of the creature and its ‘offspring’ since that is the way it
would truly happen if viewed through one person’s eyes.
Which brings us to the Godzilla aspects of the film. Japan has
that monster, and J.J. Abrams (LOST)
gives us a new American one here. Unique is size, shape, and color, this
new beast is just as tough to kill as Godzilla and has many smaller
monsters (about the size of a regular dog) that it sheds like lice. And
you don’t want to get bitten by one of these lice; trust me! The more
unique and intriguing thing about this new creature is that we know
nothing about it since the story is all coming from one herky-jerky
camera lens. Alien? Radioactive giant? Government experiment gone wrong?
Who knows. This added to the realism of the story.
Although I understand the need for character development, I felt that
the opening 20 minutes dragged on a bit too long. The love story between
Jason (Mike Vogel, RUMOR HAS IT) and Beth (Odette Yustman,
TRANSFORMERS)
added to the story in the end but was overly forced upon us in the
beginning (“We get it! They’re in love already!”)
Two other notable items must be mentioned. The first is the realism of
the camera movements and the klutzy guy who carries it named Hudd
(comedian T.J. Miller). Although why he continued to carry it sometimes
bordered on ludicrous, his dopey demeanor helped make this easier to
swallow. The second item is the sound quality. Absolutely amazing! The
thumps, bumps, and explosions were an awesome thing to hear, and the
dolby digital sound quality really shone through.
Certainly something to watch on a big screen TV with a great sound
system. This one is sure to please monster movie afficionados.
(back to top) |
Image from Cloverfield
DVD cost: $23.99
Purchase:
BestPrices.com
Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
Right before the credits,
in the last Coney Island scene, as the camera looks out at the ocean,
you can see a large but far away object fall into the ocean and make a
splash.
Movie Quote: "Whatever
it is, it's winning."
Other Actors/Actresses
from Cloverfield
   |
