Fairly good attempt at something different

Rating: 6/10 (26 February 2018)

10 CLOVERFIELD LANE is a bizarre and almost unrelated follow-up to the found footage monster horror hit CLOVERFIELD, which came out back in 2008. It's only at the climax that this film ties in to that one (although in actuality it feels more like SKYLINE) but for the most part it's a claustrophobic thriller set in an underground bunker. That it works at all is down to the presence of the ever-excellent John Goodman, playing it expertly as the survivalist captor hiding a few dark secrets. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is okay as the lead, but remains unsympathetic throughout, and the narrative is a little too slow at times, particularly in the 'happy' middle section. Still, the director ekes out suspense where possible, the guessing games are fun, and there are some nice and nasty twists in store.