Remember six months ago when that first shaky cam trailer for an untitled JJ Abrams production hit theaters in front of Transformers and then, shortly after, the internet? The buzz was deafening. That first quick teaser trailer opened with a bunch of people at a party and then ended with the Statue of Liberty’s head in the middle of a New York street. That teaser generated an immense amount of interest and a lot of head-scratching. No title, no director, just the release date… What the heck was this thing JJ Abrams created and why the secrecy surrounding even the movie’s title?
Those questions were kind of answered over the past half dozen months, and the title was confirmed as Cloverfield (the street where Abrams’ office is located), but that led to even more questions and concerns. When news spread that Cloverfield is Abrams’ attempt at a monster movie, the reaction was mixed. Would it be cheesy? Why is the guy who co-created, produced, and directed Felicity at the helm? Do we really need to see New York City under attack? Well, put away your crackers. There’s no cheese in sight. Matt Reeves might not be the first person you’d think of when it comes to directing a Godzilla-ish flick, but he was the right guy for Cloverfield. And although much of the first half of the film is distressingly reminiscent of the horrific events of 9/11 (including gigantic dust clouds and people screaming for help while running away from destroyed buildings), it is, after all is said and done, just a monster movie - albeit one told from an unusual and intensely personal point of view.
The Story
Rob (Michael-Stahl David) and his long-time close friend Beth (Odette Yustman) hook up for at least one night of non-wedded bliss. That much we know for sure because of snippets of a video recorded in her bedroom after they had sex, snippets we see at random moments throughout the film.
Flash-forward a month from their night together and Rob’s set to leave for Japan to take on a VP job at some company. Rob and Beth apparently never got together as a couple and she’s at his send-off with another guy. Rob wants her, but something’s obviously gone wrong with their relationship.
Meanwhile, Rob’s going away party is loaded with pretty people drinking, gossiping, and leaving farewell messages into a camera operated by his buddy, rookie videographer Hud (TJ Miller). Also in attendance at this upscale Manhattan shindig is Rob’s younger brother Jason (Mike Vogel) and Jason’s main squeeze Lily (Jessica Lucas). The party introduces us to one more key player, Marlena (Lizzy Caplan), the girl Hud has a thing for who has no idea Hud even exists.
An earthquake signals the end of the going away party setup, but those first 20 minutes of the movie do provide all the backstory you ever need to know on the five main players. Screenwriter Drew Goddard (Lost), director Reeves and Abrams know the audience wants, needs, is dying to see a monster, but give them credit for taking the time to let us connect with the people whose story we’ll be a part of for the remainder of the film. If we don’t embrace Rob, Beth, Jason, Lily and Hud, then Cloverfield would be dead in the water.
Once the monster hits – literally – the city, Cloverfield explodes into a run for your life action film. But it also manages, strangely enough, to keep the story small at the same time. Everything that goes down is recorded by Hud and that footage puts us up close and personal into the terrifying events.
Because we know the key players, Cloverfield never devolves into the standard scream and be eaten horror fare. There’s a point to Rob and his friends running around the city, which makes their journey meaningful. Rob needs to help rescue Beth, and that’s the only thing pushing him forward.
The Bottom Line
A couple minutes in, watching these people we don’t know party away, you may be tempted to write Cloverfield off. Patience, people, patience. The monster’s coming and the anticipation and build-up is well worth the wait.
There are flashes of gargantuan legs, shots from above of the creature’s back, and other brief glimpses of the beast throughout the film. Anyone who thinks Cloverfield’s just a tease has it all wrong. The monster is there on the screen and he’s absolutely amazing to see. The CGI throughout the film is first-rate, from the smashing of recognizable New York City landmarks to the destruction of the Brooklyn Bridge. But the monster itself is the cherry on top of this post-Christmas treat.
Now about that shaky cam… It’s not that bad. Honest. You actually get used to it and, more importantly, it’s absolutely the right way to tell this tale. That hand-held camera is not just a cutesy plot device; it’s a key player in telling the story. If a monster were to attack a major city, odds are the devastation would be captured on hundreds, if not thousands, of personal video cameras. It would also be recorded on cell phones, which is exactly what we see happening throughout the film and specifically after the Statue of Liberty’s severed head lands far from its body somewhere in the city. The amateur video angle was the smart way to go, but take some Dramamine before entering the theater if you’re prone to any sort of motion sickness whatsoever.
Abrams and company chose to go with unfamiliar faces in the lead roles and that was also a very smart decision. It’s very easy to connect with the Cloverfield leads because they are mostly complete strangers to us (although Vogel’s been in a lot of films and Miller’s currently on the TV series Carpoolers). As Hud, Miller’s job is to capture all the action of the monster attack while keeping it real. The character of Hud helps us remember at all times that above all else, Cloverfield’s an intimate character-driven drama centering on a very small group of friends. He’s also there to provide a little comic relief, which unfortunately is inappropriate at times.
Pay attention at all to the film’s beginning and you know how it’ll end. But what’s in between the faux government labels opening sequence and the roll of the credits is an 84 minute white knuckle ride like no other. What a way to start off 2008!
GRADE: B+
Cloverfield was directed by Matt Reeves and is rated PG-13 for violence, terror and disturbing images.
Theatrical Release Date: January 18, 2008
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