Great monster movie that focuses more on the characters than the monster

Rating: 10/10 (27 August 2013)

Cloverfield exceeds as both a monster flick and a horror movie. It does so by being old-school in its approach and showing restraint. The film is all about the characters placed in this situation, not getting carried away with plot or set pieces or making the film about the monster itself. Atmosphere is more important to establishing the horror for the characters, with them not feeling safe at any time after the party.
A good horror film knows that less is more, and that is a philosophy that Cloverfield nails. You rarely see the monsters face (only three times) and only see it in its entirety once. Instead you get glimpses that allow you imagination to fill in the gaps.
The film's atmosphere is also to its credit, with the constant feeling of insecurity even though our characters don't face direct danger all that frequently, they never once feel safe. The anticipation of something horrific happening is much more powerful than the actual act itself, something that many modern horrors could do with taking into account. This is achieved, in part, by the hand-held camera effect, but it also a credit to the writing of Drew Goddard and direction of Matt Reeves. There is no fear of placing the characters, and the viewers, in complete darkness and situations that are barely lit and when you cannot see what's happening you naturally assume the worst in a situation like this. The amateurish camera work (with bad shifting focus, weird angles and close-ups, even sometimes missing the action) all immerse the viewer in the story of the characters within the invasion rather than just being a plot film centred around the invasion itself with characters secondary.
The performances are all good, particularly from Jessica Lucas and Lizzy Caplan, with every character progressing in some way over the course of the feature.
Rob's character progression relies solely on his relationship with Beth, initially reluctant to go after her at the party but after the accident he dedicates his life to save her. The love story between the two is sincere and endearing, you really believe that Rob would risk his life on the slightest chance that she is still alive. The abrupt cuts to their Coney Island trip (that is being recorded over) help their story, but the true heart of the work is done by Rob during the opening party sequence.
Perhaps the biggest character change throughout falls squarely at the feet of our designated cameraman: Hud. He is annoying to the point of almost being unbearable during first third of the film, with his endless stupidity and questioning, but as time goes on he becomes much more likable. His dedication to capture both the party and the 'Cloverfield incident' on camera is admirable, doing it simply because "people will want to see this."
A detail that is unlikely to be picked up by most people, but is still fantastic nonetheless, is that the film is the exact length of a DV Tape (the type of film the characters are filming on) to show a true dedication to the lost-footage genre. The opening governmental graphics were also very effective in giving the film a genuine feel of legitimacy (as well as providing LOST fans a little Easter egg).