Cloverfield

Cloverfield (2008)

Runtime: 85 minutes

Directed by: Matt Reeves

Starring: Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, T.J. Miller, Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel

From: Paramount

After 8 and a half years I finally saw this movie again. I don't quite get all the love it's gotten throughout the years but at least I can say that it's fine; Heaven knows it's better than Don't Breathe. Peep all the deets (as the kids would say) below: 

I have mentioned it in other reviews but I am not a big J.J. Abrams fan. Even after The Force Awakens, I feel this way. Most of his movies are overrated in my eyes and all that nonsense surrounding his films beforehand about “mysteries” and stupid “viral marketing”, I think I'll always look at him negatively. It even goes for movies he only produced and not directed, such as this one. The viral marketing surrounding that really ended up being pointless, didn't it? Let's not even get into Lost, a show I never watched but heard was a massive wankoff, pretty much. I hadn't watched this since I saw this on the big screen way back in '08, and at the time I only thought it was fine. Viewing it a second time, my opinion hasn't changed.

The general idea of covering a giant kaiju attacking a major city from the perspective of average people on the street and seeing all the carnage on the street: a good one. Even following a sap and his friends rescue a woman from peril is OK. Personally, I'd also want to rescue Odette Annable (nee Odette Yustman) if she was my girlfriend! In execution, I do not know how well this movie handles it. These are rich yuppie types who live in the middle of New York City and many come off as real tools, cameraman Hud being the shining example there. What an annoying dumbass he was. Exciting things happen and the teasing of the monster is fine; the found footage aspect is a detriment at times and while it did not bother me then or now, I do understand why back in '08, theatrers had to post warnings about how some could get motion sick from watching the motion picture. Maybe a more traditional way of telling the story would have worked better.

Then there's controversy over how the monster looked. I guess it was fine, but it's part of a bigger problem concerning how modern Hollywood monsters have an unfortunate familiarity to them. More heinous to me here is how this ends; the critter
must have tremendous stealth abilities... it bothered me then and it bothers me now. At least the cast was fine (or better); some of them became better known later on. I wonder why Lizzy Caplan isn't in more high profile films; she deserves better than garbage like The Interview. Here she delivered the best performance.

One day in the future I will watch 10 Cloverfield Lane and maybe that'll be more up my alley. While I am not in love with this like many are, at least I can still say that it's fine and watchable.