Cloverfield review

Saw Cloverfield today, and really enjoyed it. A true cinematic experience even though it is made to look like it's filmed on video. But so much about this film worked. You did get a sense and reason for the camera being in operation and the World the film-makers created which our protaganists "just so happened" to have stumbled upon was amazing. You felt New York was under attack.

The film was set up a little like "Blair Witch" or "Open Water" in the sense the footage is "found" and played to us all. Having seen the entire film you understand this and this is 100 times superior to the afore-mentioned films.

A monster attacks New York. At first I wondered whether some of the imagery was a little too close to the bone in regards to 9/11. I know it's over 6 years ago, but the scene when the group rush into the convenience store as the cloud envelopes them sent shivers down my spine as it was so like footage of 9/11 shot by the French brothers who were shadowing a New York City fireman on that fateful day.

One of the trailers before the film was for U2 3D which claims to get you right in the midst of the action (or drums and guitars and Bono!) and Cloverfield definitely does that. You were one of the gang because we were seeing what they were seeing and our perspective was limited to whoever was holdng the camera at that time. Godzilla and Independance Day have done the whole Worldwide perspective with army leaders and the President on the phone, but this film put a brilliant new spin on that. Made it a lot more personal and totally invigorating.

I haven't yelled out loud in a cinema for a long time, but I did tonight. On paying for my ticket there was a sign warning me of strobe effects and camera moves akin to the experience of riding a rollercoaster. I wonder if the PR people came up with this sign because it perfectly summed up the experience, a real cinematic rollercoaster in its truest visceral form. A superb piece of work.

I enjoyed the glimpses of the monster that we had, there was a perfect amount, and I totally bought into the "Maguffin" of Rob heading off to find the girl he loves, it kept the narrative moving and gave a good reason to run into Hell rather than away from it.

I also really enjoyed the fact that the film was 87 mins long. Why? Well it felt the perfect length, but of course a common or garden camcorder, filming on long play could shoot for a maximum of 90 mins! The details count! I liked the ending, it fitted, not particularly happy but justifiable and satisfactory. I thought the film had ended at 4 different points before the end, but there we go! I actually didn't want it to end.

When the monster attacks a helicopter we are in, and the little monsters attack in the tunnel (I'm glad that happened, because I was wondering why he would shoot material in pitch black.) I was in film Heaven, gripping my seat and laughing and screaming out loud! I also loved the demise of one of the female characters behind a screen.

So a great film, turned the monster movie on its head (literally!)
Proof that it's fine to shoot in DV, as long as what you are filming is interesting and holds the viewers attention!

4 and a half scares out of 5