Let's get down to it. 10 Cloverfield Lane was alright, but a bit misleading as a sequel.

Rating: 7/10 (22 March 2016)

2016's 10 Cloverfield Lane is a remarkable debut movie for director Dan Trachtenberg. While its budget is smaller than 2008's Cloverfield, it is no less effective in its ability to scare its audience with the film unnerve physiological horror. The movie tells the story of Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a woman who just survived a car crash, only to wake up, being locked in a small fallout shelter, deep underground with a man named Howard (John Goodman) and his contractor, Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.) for her own safety. It's seems, that there has been a chemical attack, while she was knocked out, and the air outside the bunker is now toxic. Does Michelle believe what the men are saying about the world outside, or will the uneasiness of their presence, make living in the bunker, impossible? Watch the movie to find out! Without spoiling the movie, too much, I have to say, this gripping thriller works, best, because of the great performances from these three actors in the limited space. It almost seem like a dialogue masterpiece of Broadway stage. This is in large part thanks to John Goodman, who delivers a career-high performance here as Howard Stambler. I love how genuinely resourceful, Goodman is with his role. Goodman's character is so complex and elusive that you can't help finding something off-putting about Howard, no matter, how nice, he acts. I also, love how much, Goodman's towers over his co-stars, Winstead and Gallagher, both in height and bulk. He really seem authorized and commanding. This movie show us, that humans along us can be just as frightening as the monsters, you don't see. Gallagher's lackadaisical southern presence adds a much-needed warmth to the otherwise frictional environment. He wasn't annoying to me, like some critics make him, out to be; because I love how Emmett acts like the moral compass of the piece, by revealing his fears and allow himself to find the strength to act to save others. Then, there is Winstead whom is a standout lead. Her character is a welcome antidote to the idiocy of the characters in the original Cloverfield. She's not a damsel in distress; but one of the resourceful, intelligent, and determined heroines in recent memory. I like how, Michelle starts the movie running away from her problems, only for the end of the film, to have the courage to face the monsters that live in her world. It was amazing character development. However, there are a few things that I didn't like about this film, such as the movie being market as a spiritual predecessor to the 2008 found-footage monster flick; when in truth, it has very little in common with that film. Yes, the marketing ploy did drive audiences to see the film based on the assumption of the name, but it's still false advertising, no matter, how you put it. The movie originally was a script called 'The Cellar', written by Josh Campbell & Matt Stuecken. Once producer, JJ Abrams's production company, Bad Robot got the script, it was rewritten into a 'spiritual successor' to Cloverfield. Because of that, they change the strong and realistic ending of the original strong script, into a silly and forced anti-climax end. It was very inconsistent. It felt like, I was watching a different film in the later part of the film. I would have loved the movie if it ended with her walking into the night with her suit on into an uncertain future, rather than the rip-off 'war of the worlds' premise. Honestly, I wouldn't mind, this approached to this sequel, if the producers told the public, that 10 Cloverfield Lane would be anthology series of horror movies with each film containing its own characters, setting, and story. Something similar to Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, or Tales of the Crypt, TV Shows. Better yet, something similar to what 1982's Halloween: Season of the Witch was trying to do with the Halloween franchise. It would make more sense! Since, they didn't do that, a lot of fans of the 2008 movie were very disappointed, that this sequel didn't continue with the Kaiju attack of the first movie. There isn't even any acknowledgement that the events of the first film even happened at all. It's a rough shift for them to take. Pretty drastic turn from monster movie to unique "kidnapping" crime drama. Still, this movie is mostly a genuinely well-shot film that knew how to handle tension quite well. I like how 10 Cloverfield Lane wisely abandoned the lame found footage gimmick, and shaking camera. It's a lot more intense by being a psychological thriller. I just wish, that claustrophobic thriller/suspense part, was a little more draw-out; because there were a few things, I wish the movie would explain more, like why Howard didn't designed an air filtration control room, he can fit in? Better yet, what were the reasons, why Howard allow Emmett to stay there, if he can't stand him? Overall: I did enjoyed this movie even with its flaws. So, I recommended it. Get out of your shelter life and go see this movie! You will like it.