Cloverfield - B

In theaters. Rated PG-13, 90 minutes. Trailer.

Cloverfield is a post-modern monster movie. It is a sort-of Blair Witch Project/Godzilla/September 11 mashup that is enjoyable, if inconsequential. As promised on the flier taped to the door of the theater (at right), the film is all filmed on a handheld camera being manned by a person fleeing the creature attacking New York City. The setup for the film is that the government 'found' the camera and footage in Central Park, and then it begins.Click below to keep reading "Cloverfield".

There is a long sequence at the beginning showing a generic group of young professionals having a party and working through love life issues, etc. Then something attacks the city and all hell breaks loose. The initial destruction sequence is eerily similar to the footage of the aftermath of the collapse of the Twin Towers, complete with people rushing into convenience stores to avoid a cloud of debris. From then the group keeps moving and tries to escape and figure out what is happening to the city.

The creature is revealed in pieces throughout, with a full shot at the end. There are smaller 'creatures' that come with it, and attack humans viciously as they make their way through the city. Its origins are speculated at by the civillians and the military personnel, but never definitively placed. The dialogue feels like Heroes, Lost, or any number of 'cool' TV shows that I can't stand, but the acting from the anonymous cast does a good job of making it work.

The film is interesting for its new approach and concept, but limited by that same concept. There isn't time for character development or much meaningful dialogue. There is some exploration of the impact of such a traumatic attack on life and living in the moment, and the 9/11 images and general feeling are there in spades. For a tiny instant, the film poses an existential dilemma: without any future, should we only live for the present?

Viewing note: I had no problems with motion sickness at all, and neither did my beloved. Appraiser and Mrs. Appraiser didn't fare so well, on the other hand.