| 19 January |
Cloverfield |
WARNING MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!!
Last night me and the girlfriend saw Cloverfield, and all I can say is…WOW!! The film really has no plot, except that a giant monster creature attacks New York. The entire film is shot as a first person perspective, with a home video camera. Kind of like Blair Witch Project. At first it gets a little annoying, but later you find that it makes the movie much better.
The cast is full of people that you’ve never heard of, but that’s also what makes it good. It gives you more of the feeling that this actually happened, and it was actually a self documented film. I could tell you the cast, but that means I would have to look it up and you wouldn’t know who they were anyway. There are six main characters, well seven if you count the monster. There is really next to no character build up, the only thing you know is that Rod has been promoted to a job in Japan. Marleena is a friend of a friend, Jason is Rods brother, Hud is Rods friend, Lily is Jason’s girlfriend, and Beth who is/was/is Rods girlfriend. I hope that makes sense, because what I just said is all you get in the movie. Oh, and the monster is just the monster.
The flick starts out with Rob at Beth’s place where they are having a nice time together. Again as if it was taken with a home video camera. Then it cuts to Jason and Lily getting groceries for Rods going away party. Then it goes to Rods going away party where Jason gives the camera to Hud so he can record testimonials from people wishing Jason goodbye. Again, I know it’s confusing, but that’s the way it starts. The party is fun and happy, then Rod has a run-in with Beth blah blah. Then BOOOOM!!
The monster starts to attack the city and nobody, including you know what the hell is going on. One of the first sequences is what I might call a “little” controversial. Remember this takes place in New York. They show buildings collapsing, and the head of the Statue of Liberty rolls down the street. The building thing is what got to me, and not so much the statue. We got it from the French anyway, and nobody likes the French. You quickly get over the reminiscence of 9/11, but it does send a chill down your spine.
The rest of the movie is all out in your face. There isn’t much lull time, and when there is it doesn’t last long. As I said above, using the technique of the first person video really makes it what it is. Had it been shot in “normal cinematic” fashion, it would have really sucked. The fact that you know just as much as Hud, the guy running the camera makes it really intense. You really get a new perspective as to what it would be like in a situation like that, such as the tragic events of 9/11. (Those that where not there, including myself, have NO IDEA)
The visual effects are fantastic. It has all the CGI as any other movie, but with a twist. It still holds the home camera look and feel. You see missiles flying and buildings smashing, but sometimes off focus, shaky, and the of course unintentional ground shots. There is a scene where they get stuck in the middle of the armed forces trying to take out the monster, and you really feel like the tank is driving by and firing.
The entire movie leaves a lot to question, but that’s what it intended to do. Even at the end you have no clue what the monster is, where is came from, or why is was raging all sorts of hate and discontent. Throughout, you know as much as the characters and you remain knowing as much as the characters.
Overall, this movie is VERY entertaining. It keeps you on the edge of your seat, and some scenes leave you with nothing to say but, “what the hell just happened?” This may not be the best choice for a first date, or any date for that matter. (the girlfriend and I are sort of beyond dating) Anyway, it’s by no means a movie to be remembered, except the night after you see it. It’s hard to get some of the images out of your head. I would give this movie 3.5 stars out of5. I will say this, if you want to see this GO SEE IT IN THE THEATER!! It will not have the same effect on DVD, unless you have a full blown movie theater in your basement. If you do, can you get me a job?
Oh yeah, the monster. Well it’s big, it’s scary looking, it’s like no other monster I’ve seen, and it sheds little monsters that attack throughout the movie. There is one close up of it, and he looks bad ass. That’s all I can really say.
You will leave the theater open eyed, confused as all hell, and perhaps speechless.