Fun for a while, then you might get sick.

Rating: 7/10 (16 January 2008)

Here's how to make the best advertising campaign ever. All you do, is just show the most exciting and disturbing parts of the film and nothing to do with characters and then put the title at the end and people are like "SO GOING!"
At least half of the people in the theater found Cloverfield hard to watch because it's all hand-held. At first I was really excited for the film and then one of my friends said "Oh, so it's like Blair Witch Project meets The Host. (I can assure you that, that's what you're gonna get but with a little something extra) I was also really sick throughout the entire movie. However, it's probably the best survival/horror/science fiction all year but what am I really comparing it to? Hmm? First Sunday?
I was worried about Cloverfield because not only did I see it for free, but it was supposed to come out in January (to film geeks, it's known as dump month.) However, rest assured that the film isn't half bad. The characters are somewhat minimal but there is actually a reason for what they are doing. Most of the stuff seems plausible kinda, and they didn't "find a scientist" and he didn't give the "we don't know what it is!" or "Human's played god!" speech that was found in the other horror/adventure movies of last year. When the characters die, you feel for them somewhat, but, to be honest you didn't get to know them that well. It was kinda like seeing a really cool person on the street and then 10 minuets he gets hit by a car. You're kinda sad cause that character was funny, or pretty, or kinda important. Also, you feel beaten up from all the shaky-cam if you're affected by motion sickness. So when a person dies it's like you're drunk and someone told you that a relative died. You're disappointed but you can't really control your emotions at this point so you're already crying. It's kinda like, the film beats you up, and makes you feel sorry for someone else cause you can kinda sympathize with there pain since you're experiencing something similar to a seizure.
NOW FOR THE IMPORTANT PART: The monster. Cloverfield's monster is interesting and will make your mouth drop to the floor, because it's always changing. It's also surprising. You think you have a full understanding of the monster, and then you see a newscast and it totally changes everything think you thought you knew.
I also like how the movie was also like a metaphor for a love. Hold on to people and never let them go kinda thing. It really made you think. And by the end if you saw it with anyone you'll kinda have a group hug at the end.
Still, like I said before, the characters are minimal because the movie is only an hour and 24 min. Which is a fantastic length, because if your the one half who can't stand shaky-cam you'll be like "oh wow, that was over soon." and for the people who aren't affected, they'll like how it got right to the point.
But, because it's so short, you might want your money back if you payed $10. So I heavily recommend a matinée . No one really feels cheated out of $6. Still, an overall fun movie to see with friends if you aren't affected by motion sickness. Also it's a great movie to see Downtown cause when you get out you'll be paranoid for like 20 min cause you don't know if a monster will get you when you're on the way to your car. Overall, I would say, worth seeing if you have a strong stomach, if you don't wait for it on DVD.