Cloverfield – 2008

***½ Out of ****

The movie business. (Note the word business) As much as we may try to deny it, the vast majority of movies today are made for the green. This quarrel can be further affirmed simply by taking a look at the splurge of sequels and remakes that swamp Hollywood today. With such an industry to keep booming, the executives behind the scenes must be pitch perfect in their advertising campaign if they want their project to succeed. Not since I can remember has this been done more perfectly than with Cloverfield, and as such, buying a pass was about the equivalent of buying a lottery ticket. J.J. Abrams who is the creator of Lost and Alias, as well as 2006’s energetic MI:3, surrounded Cloverfield with an aura of mystery and intrigue. Even its name would not suggest a monster movie, but something closer to the name of a retirement home. After finally getting to see this jack-in-the-box I honestly cannot fathom how I could have been more blown away. I know I could have been, but I can’t picture it.

Not in recent memory have I been so tense during a movie; so engrossed and wide-eyed. The movie uses handheld cameras, held by the actors themselves, and results in Godzilla meets the Blair Witch Project; an unavoidable label but by no means justifiable. Cloverfield stands alone in its creativity and does not need to take credit from anybody else. It is pitch perfect in every aspect of what it is. The sound is chilling, the acting desperate and chaotic and the special effects are subtle, and as the equipment is handheld and therefore blurry with quick motions this is how effects should be used. To change reality, not make a reality of its own.

Our doomsday begins with a going away party for Rob Hawkins played by Michael Stahl-David. He may or may not be still in love with Lily played by the beautiful Jessica Lucas. Put in charge of taping the party is “Hud” Platt played by T.J. Miller, and he is the comic relief from an otherwise bleak and violent movie. Miller’s performance is the best in the movie, and director Matt Reeves knows when the comic interjections are due. We meet Hud’s love interest Marlena (Lizzy Caplan) as well as Rob’s brother Jason and his girlfriend. This is essentially the group that we follow as the monster first raises its ugly head (it also raises the head of the statue of liberty). Hud keeps taping as the group try desperately to collect their loved ones and make their way off of Manhattan Island. Not to give anything away but be warned, this is not King Kong or Godzilla, people die, sometimes violently, so use discretion.

I can already envision the number of people who will be sickened by the shaky-cam effect and will subsequently hate the movie. The frantic camera movement did not bother me for a second, as I think I was too engrossed in the spectacle unfolding before me. We never clearly see the monster, and it follows the Jaws rule, in that a monster not seen is scarier then the grossest most vile monster in sharp focus. The one thing that saddens me about this movie is that this is only a theatre spectacle. Unless you have a gigantic TV at home, and a kick-ass sound system, this will not be anywhere near as good during subsequent viewings.

But all in all, the novelty does not wear off, it is the appropriate length and it is studded with unique touches and features strong performances from our cast of unknowns. Which, combined not only proves that creativity is not dead in Hollywood, but shows that they can still create a movie as thrilling as any of its genre, that will haunt your mind and cleanse your soul of the backlog of cinematic repugnance that has plagued us for too long.

© 2008 Simon Brookfield