CinePhillyist Reviews... Cloverfield

So, what is Cloverfield? Probably if you've watched the ads, you've thought of Godzilla, and although it certainly has a lot in common with that series, it also has elements of The Blair Witch Project. It's a monster movie, but told in a hyper-realistic way, from the point of view of the people on the streets who are running between the toes of the monster. Critics (well, the cut-rate ones, anyway) will often compare films to roller coasters in their reviews, but Cloverfield is one of the few movies I've seen that actually delivers a roller coaster-like experience. There were moments during the first half of this film when I was literally gasping for breath and clutching at my seat as I tried not to have a heart attack. It is intense, and the pseudo-first-person perspective only makes it more so.

The concept is that the entire movie is the contents of a digital video tape found in Central Park, and the filmmakers stick rigidly to that idea, selling it well with amazing special effects, wonderful, natural acting from a cast of unknowns, and extra little touches like the color bars and the "Property of U.S. Government - Do Not Duplicate" message at the front of the film. It's an interesting gimmick, but it does limit the movie in many ways. The filmmakers design a rather clever way of working some very moving flashbacks into the film, by having the original contents of the tape—a romantic day at Coney Island—pop up occasionally, but otherwise all we get to see and hear are the things that the camera picks up as the characters run through the city with it. Which means no traditional movie soundtrack, no cutting away to another subplot taking place somewhere else, no explanatory narration. It also means that this camera, its battery, and its tape have to somehow be able to survive everything that happens in this movie, which seems pretty unlikely - in fact, the durability of the camera is probably the most unbelievable thing about the film (the idea that cell phones would work in the middle of a gigantic crisis in New York City is a close second).

Because of the movie's format and its necessarily singular, linear plot, the filmmakers had no choice but to make it relatively short (90 minutes), and to try to pace the action out very carefully. Unfortunately, although the first half of the film is handled very well, and is indeed one of the most exciting, visceral cinematic experiences I've ever had, the second half drags a bit, and the intensity and relentlessness begin to wear on you, making the film seem much longer than it really is.

Because we're seeing everything from the point of view of people on the ground, we also rarely get to see the big picture, and never get any solid explanations for what's going on. Some may consider it a spoiler, but I think it will help you enjoy the film to know going in that you will never find out where the monster came from, what it's trying to do, or even if it's ever defeated. This was a courageous choice on the filmmakers' part, and although intellectually I like it, on a gut level I was disappointed by it.

Something I was particularly impressed by is the realism of the film. Despite a few unbelievable things I've already mentioned, Cloverfield does a great job of making you feel like you're really there with real people in the middle of New York as a giant monster is really attacking the city. It helps that the filmmakers seem to have a good handle on human nature. You can't help but nod knowingly and laugh when, after the head of the Statue of Liberty lands in the street, a bunch of New Yorkers just stand around it and take pictures of it with their camera phones. I felt the same way later when a bunch of people start looting an electronics store.

There are two things about this movie I've been shying away from so far in this review. One is the plot, because I'm trying to avoid spoilers of any kind. The other is the inevitable comparisons and connections to 9/11. After all, this is a movie about a giant disaster in New York City. I would think anyone who was actually there that day might even find it a bit traumatic. But in a way the movie isn't about New York blowing up or a monster attacking or any of that. It's really about people in an extraordinary situation finally realizing what's truly important to them. In fact, Cloverfield, believe it or not, is a love story. And a pretty good one at that, although it does get a bit corny at times.

Which is not to say it's not also a great monster movie, because it is. If you plan on seeing Cloverfield at all, you should absolutely see it on the big screen. Just be prepared for an intense, tiring, and in some ways slightly unsatisfying experience. Oh, and if you tend to get motion sickness, don't forget to bring your pills - or a barf bag.

Image via CinemaBlend