Tense, and Unpredictable

Rating: 8/10 (18 March 2016)

10 Cloverfield Lane had a few appealing features, but didn't seem as though it was poised to be as good as it was. Seeing the trailer the film looked odd, as it was a sequel to a found-footage disaster movie that was set in one location amongst only 3 characters. 10 Cloverfield Lane is tensely confining, well-written, and takes the franchise in a totally different direction. That being said this film could have been great if it had not been part of the cloverfield franchise, however it also did well within that universe.
The film is very tense, similar to last year's Room, in that it's very confining and isolated. The film benefits from good performances all around, but most notably that of John Goodman who plays the sympathetic yet deranged Howard. Goodman's cold yet soft performance helps build tension as the character clearly controls the situation, but is unpredictable and often erratic. With a brilliantly dark and somewhat nightmarish tone, the film plays out like a human version of mice in a rigged maze.
The story in the film is unpredictable and very well written, most likely due to the fact that "Whiplash" writer and director Damien Chazelle co-wrote the script. The story unfolds with one twist after another, with each twist bigger than the last, until the film builds into its climax perfectly. Another element that was very well done was the character development, as each character is well-rounded, and given a good arc. With a good story and great characters 10 Cloverfield Lane is a well-written sequel to Cloverfield, that even improves upon its predecessor.
One thing to note, while it may seem obvious, 10 Cloverfield Lane is very different from Cloverfield. Where Cloverfield was a found-footage disaster film with a huge scope, 10 Cloverfield Lane is a very confined traditionally shot thriller about people trapped in a bunker. That being said fans of the original may not be as fond of 10 Cloverfield Lane, whereas some who disliked Cloverfield may enjoy 10 Cloverfield Lane. However, they are very different films, with 10 Cloverfield Lane more focused on character development, and drama.
In the end, 10 Cloverfield Lane is a well crafted thriller, that delivers, mostly due to great writing. The film is very tense, well-acted, well-written,unpredictable, and very different from its predecessor in size and scope. The end result is a great film that is in many ways better than the original Cloverfield, because of the effort and care of the people making it. For those that love tense thrillers, or just in general great films, this film will surely entertain.