Some Thing Has Found Us.

I'll admit, I didn't know exactly what to expect going to see Cloverfield. The only thing I really knew was that it was a monster flick, but would it be any different than others? Would it live up to the hype? I found it genius how they used the unknown and people's curiosity to promote the film, but that's a whole other post in itself. It must have been nerve wracking for them to wait and see if people would bite. Apparently it worked!
Without giving away too many details, I might as well set up the general synopsis for Cloverfield. It's present day and all is peaceful on planet Earth. A small group of friends in New York City decide to plan a suprise going away party for their good friend Rob. Rob was lucky enough to be promoted to Vice President at a company in Japan. The party his friends throw is in celebration of his accomplishment and to remember all the good times they spent together. Unfortunately, the party comes to a sudden halt, as the power flickers and news reports talk of an oil tanker that has capsized. Realizing how close they are to the attack, our group of friends rush outside to get a better view of what has happened. Growls, screams, explosions, blood, and falling debris. New York City is under attack yet again.

Now that you know a little more about it, I think it's time for me to say that I really enjoyed Cloverfield. I found the way the story unfolded (sort of like Blair Witch) to be especially effective. This technique really draws you in that much more and makes you, well, frightened. I can only imagine what it would be like if something of this magnitude happened in real life. But I think that Cloverfield is crafted in a way that makes it somewhat believable. If this were to happen, this is exactly how people would react-- in utter chaos! The monster is without a doubt the big draw of the movie, but "it" only acts as a backdrop for the rest of the film. It's more about how these group of friends deal with such a gruesome and horrific event. Don't get me wrong, my face had a huge smile across it every time they showed the monster. The pacing is perfect, it starts out slow and as it goes along, more of the monster is revealed. The directors clearly wanted to keep their audience on the edge of their seat. For instance, the guy sitting next to me was literally leaning forward in his chair, in a hope of catching a glimpse of the monster. Again, genius.

To finish this off, I'm not a very big fan of monster movies. But for some reason, Cloverfield just did it for me. I think it has some beautiful shots if you can appreciate the way the movie is shown. The special effects team really deserves a lot of credit for making everything look so believable and blending it all in with the real world. Even the dialogue can be praised for being so witty and sarcastic. It goes without saying that I obviously liked Cloverfield. It was worth every penny to me and at $9.50+ tax, it's no joke. If you haven't seen the movie yet, I strongly recommend it. Get a friend or two together, sit back, and enjoy. It's really something you'll want to see with someone else and see on the big screen (with incredible surround sound.) The only thing that made me a little disappointed was the fact that it's only 80 minutes long. It kind of ended abruptly, whereas I wanted it to keep going on. But it's better than it being drawn out any further I suppose. And just as a tip, stay after the credits roll!

SOME THING HAS FOUND US
1-18-08