Cloverfield.....awesome monster movie

Rating: 9/10 (22 January 2008)

This movie has been hyped up for quite a while, I remember seeing the teaser trailer during Transformers and everybody in the crowd questioning the trailer. The trailer depicted this movie as quite mysterious, but still very intriguing. I actually had no idea it was being filmed in a first person perspective (through a hand held camera) throughout the whole movie until I actually saw the movie. To some people it might be a huge turn-off, I actually felt like I was in the movie, as intense as it was, feeling every whim and emotion of the character, there is no third person here, you feel what the character are feeling, you see what the character see, you feel the terror that they feel and surprises at every corner. Basically it is a giant monster attacking New York City type movie (Godzilla and King Kong comes to mind) but much better filmed and one billion times more intense. I related to the character Hud, the most, as he was talking nervously and comically throughout the whole movie, thats just like me in real life, always trying to make light out of a serious situation.
The Good: I haven't felt an emotional rush in the movies since I can remember. You feel like you are one of the characters, going through the same confusion and mass panic that they are enduring. The guy who is filming Hud, is my type of guy, one who always makes light and talks excessively in tight situations. How the movie starts out is very light and I got to know the four main characters very well, at least for my tastes. Some will say there is a huge lack of character development and that detracts from enjoying the movie, I related with the characters very well (maybe because I am a young urban professional) and the trendy party atmosphere is something that I have seen in my own life. The back "love" story is also something that is welcomed between the two main characters (some may not like it). When the monster hits, you feel the same sense of confusion and what happened? that the characters do, to some (especially New Yorkers) it evokes images of amateur 9/11 videos. The first person adaptation then takes you through an hour and a half thrill ride throughout New York City as the four main characters try to survive, all while making a daring and romantic attempt at saving a damsel in distress. The sense of destruction, violence, disbelief, and fear is as real as it can get, as normal life gets disrupted by something enormous. The acting is perfect. The setting and images of a New York under devastation is also very well done.
The Bad: I guess this is one of those you either love or hate movies, one of my friends hated it, most others loved it. The shaking camera might be a turn-off for some, I loved it, it added such an intense sense of realism. The Monster itself was CG, but thats OK. Some might think also its tries too hard to be hip and the guy holding the film gets annoying, I liked everything. Also the movie might be too random for some.
The Ugly: Giant Subway Rats, and the Spider Creatures, plus the gruesome death of one of the main characters, and the monster itself was preety ugly resembling a cross of Godzilla, King Kong, and a giant Scorpion, Fly creature.
Overall, a breath of fresh air for film making, maybe they will make more of these type of movies, I think it only really works well in intense horror or monster movies probably. I also like the romanticized saving damsel in distress story line from the protagonist. But the strongest quality of this film is the sense of fear and panic the viewer gets, its like you are in the movie suffering and questioning with the characters. No other film has made me feel that way.
Supra Score - 8.5/10