A good thrill ride.

Rating: 7/10 (10 May 2014)

Basically a melding of "Godzilla" and "The Blair Witch Project", this high-concept movie is a better than usual example of what has come to be known as the "found footage" genre. Whatever it may lack in character development or storytelling skill is made up for by a nonstop sense of excitement. It just thrusts characters and the audience alike into a horrifying situation that nobody can explain and seemingly with little to no chance for escape. It starts out mildly and then around the 18 minute mark it abruptly shifts gears. It's genuinely spooky at times and features a monster that is frightening in its capacity for violence, not to mention its immense *size*. Director Matt Reeves and company, working from Drew Goddards' script, follow conventional wisdom in showing this thing just a bit at a time, gearing up for the big reveal.
The story starts out as a group of friends in Manhattan have a farewell party for one of their number, Rob (Michael Stahl-David), who's moving on to a job in Japan. But things go seriously awry when this monster shows up and creates chaos and panic. While the military works feverishly to try to take the monster down and evacuate the citizens, Rob and his friends embark on a mission to locate and rescue Beth (Odette Annable); all the while, the character of "Hud" (T.J. Miller), who was given a video camera to record testimonials at this party, insists on documenting the unfolding events.
One good thing is that, at least from this viewers' perspective, the six main characters are basically likable even as they attempt something that looks foolish and suicidal. Once the action starts, it achieves a respectable intensity level, although there are quieter moments when our protagonists desperately try to take a breather. The special effects are generally decent (the image of the Statue of Liberty's head in a street is a memorable one), and the monster itself is amusingly designed and completely bad ass.
If one can stomach the overactive camera work (a bone of contention for many who've seen it), "Cloverfield" does manage to be a solidly enjoyable thriller.
Seven out of 10.