Pop Culture Thoughts

Rating: 7/10 (24 December 2018)

A decidedly unique and unusual follow-up to 2008's "Cloverfield," this thriller manages to keep the audience guessing about its secrets right up to the thunderous climax. Mary Elizabeth Winstead proves once again that she's an underused and underappreciated talent, tearing into her role with gusto and emerging as a genre standout, while John Goodman plays against type by yielding his physical size as a constant reminder of the potential for violence and aggression. In some ways, this movie is an overstuffed mess, changing gears several times as it does, but director Dan Tratchenberg demonstrates confidence and skill throughout and manages to make a cohesive and inventive thriller that often channels "The Terminator."