Frame Your Expectations Appropriately, Or Dismiss Them Entirely.

Rating: 10/10 (27 February 2018)

Cloverfield (2008).

Chipper F. Xavier, Esq.

After its shocking release 10 years prior, a repeat viewing of Cloverfield still manages to disgust and terrify. Unfortunately, many viewers do not recognize its genius. Imagine going to a famously hip New York nightclub on a Saturday evening and being shocked that there are heavy, 808-styled drumbeats interspersed throughout the catchy-but-vacuous lyrics as half-drunk people madly carouse about the parquet dance floor. A reasonable person would argue that you should have known what to expect. An open-minded person might even say, "... heck, that was different!" But only a 'hater' would exclaim: "That sucked!"
Cloverfield, directed by Matt Reeves, written by Drew Goddard and produced by J.J. Abrams, is a shaky-camera, found footage horror film which begs the question: What would happen if a gigantic, intelligent, malevolent alien monster attacked New York City? In order to properly frame this fantastical event, the director filmed the movie using a hand-held camera to establish a sense of timely realism and cast relative unknowns as protagonists to force the audience to focus on what was happening within the camera frame. The result is partly unique, partly hilarious, very unexpected and 100% terrifying... But only if you, the viewer, allow a willing suspension of disbelief.
Cloverfield works well because the field of view is grounded by normal twenty-somethings attending a going away party for a friend, brother and paramour, as viewed behind the lens of a handicam. When this banal celebration is interrupted by the surreal experience of unnatural disasters in a population-dense New York City, the fear is amplified and very real as the audience is taken along for a very bumpy ride.
Some of the more original OMG-worthy moments include: 1) The head of the Statue Of Liberty flying through the air to land at the fleeing feet of pedestrians; 2) The giant, rampaging monster disgorging smaller babies from its body that fall to the ground and immediately begin attacking people; 3) The giant, rampaging monster carefully considering the cameraman before ruthlessly biting him in half.
You don't have to like roller-coasters, haunted houses or Santa Claus to enjoy a good horror flick - but you are probably in the minority of the human population if you don't. Escapism only works if you give it permission - or else, you'll always be that person wondering why everyone but you is having such a great time.