*** Official CLOVERFIELD Review Thread
Okay, I'm going to hit on a few points, and I don't feel like spoilerizing everything, so don't read if for whatever reason you're here without seeing the film yet.
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To expand on my previous post, oh yes, I loved this film. The marketing intrigued the hell out of me, and I'm happy to say that, just like
Blair Witch before it, it lived up to the hype for me and then some. I just love when a film comes along and makes me feel this giddy! I feel bad for those who are prone to motion sickness. I'd hate to miss out on
Cloverfield.
This is the second time in the last six months that I've seen a film with such masterful visuals and sound design. It's a total assault on the senses, a tension-packed nightmare from the eyes of those right in the middle of hell on earth. Everything in this film feels so real, and it all looks real too. The effects are astounding. The one thing that worried me was the possibility of bad CGI, but that fear wound up being completely unfounded. I loved the scene in the electronics store. Seeing glimpses of the creature on TV from news helicopters... such a creepy feeling. It's made even moreso since it's happening just down the street.
I love the whole handheld approach. I loved it in
Blair Witch, and I loved it here. Not only does it make for a more intimate viewing experience, where you see things from the characters' perspectives, but it also gives you the feel of being trapped in your own nightmare. Like the camera is your point of view as you travel through a surreal dreamland of panic and toppled skyscrapers, all the while an unseen menace lurking just beyond your realm of understanding.
I wasn't so sure how I'd feel about the characters. They were more likable than I thought they'd be, and there's just enough character development to make me care about them. Frankly, I remember the names of the characters, and for me, that means they did something right. This is a good thing, as the love story and the things one will do for friendship are at the heart of the film. The monster attack is a means to get to the meat of these characters' relationships.
The monster itself is a wicked creature. Very eerie looking. The scene with the stealth bomber bombarding it was just WOW. And then, bam, out of the smoke it come to attack the chopper. Very nerve-wracking stuff. The parasites it brings with it are more downright vicious looking. Great sound design with these little buggers, too. Frankly, I don't know which one I'd want to encounter less. Perhaps the parasites, as they have one mean bite. I felt so bad for Marlena when her abdomen burst like a bubble.
As far as monster films go,
Cloverfield is on par with such greats as Carpenter's
The Thing. Really though, there's no need to compare it to anything else. It is it's own entity, and an impeccable one at that. It accomplishes such incredible things on less than half the budget of all those souless blockbusters which plague cinemas every year.
No doubt, I will be seeing this a few more times theatrically, and soon at that. Luckily, the local theater is only $2.25 for afternoon shows, so it'll be easily affordable.
Perhaps I can get a better look at that splash next time, too. But yeah, talk about setting the bar high for '08. I doubt anything betters it, but time will tell.
's out of 5 
