how to make a good horror movie by manipulating the elements of claustrophobia

Rating: 9/10 (23 March 2016)

Claustrophobia is a quite common theme in horror movies. So how to make a good horror movie by manipulating the elements of claustrophobia? In 10 Cloverfield Lane Josh Campbell presented you the smart way to do it.
a. Physical discomfort.
Car accident, PTSD, Milleche (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) 's first reaction was hysteria but natural as an injured woman in her position. I was driven bit nuts and blamed her for a while when every evidence in that small space pointing to the fact she's such a paranoia, and I was very close to believe she's going to get everyone killed as an ungrateful silly woman.
But there's always something in her got my attention that I simply could be sure that she was a black sheep.
Josh Campbell knew better.
b. Strangers' secrets.
Are people really who they claimed to be and can they be trusted?
When you are in no position to question the authority of the leader in the small survivors group, what can you do will get you to your own destiny.
Michelle had to trust Howard to survive. And you can tell from her first instinct, she did not trust the old man at all. Her first illusion bubble burst by the deformed woman from the other side of the mirror. Howard was not lying about the air. Then came the flash in her blurred memory triggered her suspicion. Again, I was led this way to follow a natural explanation of her suspicion. Howard was no saint, he's only a heartbroken father. Then he should be forgiven considering the situation there.
Until the loser looking Emmett pointed out the girl in the picture was not who she was claimed by Howard, the truth really started to turn everything from bad to worse.
c. Prey in the cage.
Toxic air outside, alien hunters with their super power weapons and spacecrafts, meanwhile, inside, underground, a hentai human hunter who had every skill and source to survive and he was getting what he wanted, you, in the corner.
I was shocked to see Emmett's sudden death. It's totally out of the prediction loop. Although everyone knows that in a horror movie unpredictable death is the common trick to scare audiences. Josh did a really great job to tell a common story in a brilliant way.
d. Hope.
I googled Josh Campbell and seeing him did Narnia explained the warm-wished ending of the film. Personally speaking I like it. Yes we polluted the Earth and any form of apocalypse is what we deserve. However, there's human will and there's always hope hidden in the bottom of Pandora's box. We do learn from our mistakes and we are capable to make a better world, especially when there's alien invasions, facing a common enemy is so much more easier than facing other human beings. Trust me, I'm Chinese, I know how tricky and twisted you and I would turn to be when we are against each other. Joking...or not.