Groundbreaking film!

Rating: 9/10 (19 January 2008)

I am a huge J.J. Abrams fan and I will probably spend my money on anything that has his name attached to it so predominately. But first off I feel I have to warn you, this is not the kind of monster movie for people who like monster movies. Now onto the film: This movie is an experience. The film gets in your face and includes you in the character's flight for survival. If you have trouble with motion sickness or shaky camera work, you might want to sit this one out until it makes the round to DVD - but if you can handle a shaky screen for 90 minutes, get there early to grab a comfortable seat a good distance away from the screen. There is no plot to this movie, which while it has it's downfalls, there are also benefits to that. There's no cheesy love interest to get in the way and everyone, and I mean EVERYONE is expendable. There's no way to tell who's going to survive based on where their names appear on the marquee. And when someone does die, it's a shock, but you move on. You want to get to the end of the tunnel and make it out alive.
But like I said earlier, this is not a film for people who love monster movies. You don't know where the monster came from, what it wants (if it wants anything other than wanton destruction, of course), and you don't know what happens at the end. There is no resolution; which makes it feel too much like real life for a lot of people to handle. But it does leave you a little shaken up. If you were frustrated with commercials and teasers and trailers that give you a quick peek of the monster as it's ducking behind a building or dodging into the shadow prepare to be royally unsatisfied at the end of the film. You don't see the monster. Again, a lot of people have a problem with this, they say they feel 'cheated', but until Alien 3 you don't really get a good look at the aliens in that series, unless it was moving into or through the shadows. I feel you see enough of it to piece together in your mind what it looks like, and your imagination will render it far better than any CGI house ever could. Assuming you have one, of course.
One thing I will say that really worked in his favor was he finally made a film that wasn't ruined by people talking and chattering and screaming during the show. At times it's hard to tell if it's the audience that's murmuring or the movie, and that's as someone that's stopped going to films as often because of all the chatter, that's fine by me. I enjoyed this film, but it isn't for everyone. If you like the work Abrams does for LOST, then I'd say give it a chance and keep an open mind. Just keep in mind that he asks many more questions that he answers, but at least he'll tell you why it's called "Cloverfield", if you're paying attention in the first ninety seconds or so of the film.