The giant monster film, with its silly rubber dinosaurs and mindless destruction of model cities, doesn’t inspire awe or even nostalgic affection in most contemporary American moviegoers, this one included.
But then comes “Cloverfield,” an awesome monster movie that rattles to the core by playing it straight, the creature destruction merging with clever filmmaking and sympathetic characters for an experience the audience won’t soon forget.
“Cloverfield” begins ominously with a disclaimer telling us that what we’re about to see is a document recovered from the area formerly known as Central Park. Uh-oh. Roll tape and we’re watching a video recorded from a hand held camera (of film studio quality, but whatever) documenting the goodbye party for Rob (Michael Stahl-David), recently promoted to a desirable executive post in Japan (get it?). Manning the camera is Rob’s best friend Hud (T.J. Miller), who tapes the party being thrown by Jason (Mike Vogel) and Lily (Jessica Lucas), with the snooty Marlena (Lizzy Caplan) just stopping in to say hello.
An explosion rocks the night. Terrorists, they think? Perhaps, but when the head of the Statue of Liberty comes flying down the street, and ear-splitting roars punctuate the landscape, that scenario seems increasing unlikely. The Empire State building then collapses, the resulting debris tearing the entire street apart. I imagine that this might be a difficult film for many New Yorkers to watch, as I, who sat 9/11/01 out safely in Iowa, was disquieted by the parallel.
The group heads for the Brooklyn Bridge to flee the island, and I probably don’t have to tell you how that turns out. Rob receives a call from Beth (Odette Yustman), his secret lover, finding out that she’s injured and trapped at her apartment building, he sets out to help her, friends in tow over his objections.
I’ll stop describing the plot here, as I’ve likely already said too much. I deliberately steered clear of spoilers concerning “Cloverfield,” and it paid off, because the film’s shocks and surprises are frequent and supremely rewarding. The pleasures range from the awe inspiring, such as when the group finds themselves trapped in an engagement between the military and the monster, or the frightening, like their foot walk down a blacked out subway tunnel which reveals pests more dangerous than rats.
The film’s storytelling device does wonders, as we experience night solely from the perspective of a few civilians caught in the middle. They don’t single-handedly defeat the creature, nor do they even try; rescuing one of their own and surviving is their only priority. It’s simultaneously epic and intensely personal, so we care about Rob and co. while treasuring our window into the big show.
Of course, they happen to bear witness to many of the evening’s more memorable moments, but we mostly see the monster in glimpses that tantalize without frustrating. I left the theater satisfied with what I had seen, yet wanting more, thrilled with the visceral experience, haunted by the ending, and stunned with the fatalism of it all. What a creature this is.
4.5 out of 5
1 comments:
I myself was a little disappointed that you never get a really good view of the monster.
For that reason I poked around the internet to find something about it and was rewarded with disappointment.
It seems as if they ripped a page directly from Final Fantasy X (if you're a gamer you've probably already seen this parralel) by stealing the main monster, right down to the little baddies that come off of him. Hollywood ripping itself off is one thing. Ripping off square-enix? That's just disgusting.
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