Cloverfield - Left me neutral

Rating: 4/10 (26 January 2008)

Well I have to say I just saw this film yesterday and found myself leaving with mixed feelings. I am big sci-fi fan and for me really the heyday of sci-fi was the 80's which I feel was unbeatable for good story and script ideas. But anyway back to the film..
For me Colverfield was really about a young man being forced by a huge monster to face up to what was important in his life. Its an interesting plot device but I really think people wanted a monster film and got a coming of age film instead.
The movie requires you to suspend your belief of certain practicalities that go around carrying a DV camera whilst in mortal fear for you life, and the shaky cam does serve to annoy at times. Although I understand the appeal right now of POV filming techniques I believe it is simply a cinematic fad. One that should be used sparingly to build a story, rather than as the whole story. And this is where Cloverfield looses its impact with a barrage of continual shakes, camera cuts and jerking movements that stop you from taking scenes in for greater impact.
I enjoyed the few scenes where we got a look at the creature floundering through the streets of Manhattan, attempting to escape the continual barrage of weapons launched on it. But they seemed too short and not informative enough, once again relegating the monster to a thin plot device.
I also think the ending was just not well constructed, once again it took the focus off the creature and focused entirely on the main characters coming of age plot.
In all I would not call this movie crap as many have, but I would say it is actually more suited to followers of real life drama than sci-fi fans.