The Cloverfield Experience

Rating: Null/10 (18 January 2008)

Cloverfield. Brought to you by Nokia.
The best way for me to describe Cloverfield, in the simplest terms is, part Godzilla, part Blair Witch Project, part War Of The Worlds. Of course many, as I did, will know that going in. I didn't expect however, for it to be the best parts of those movies.
It should be noted that many have mistakenly called this a J.J. Abrams movie. Really, it's not. Any good in this film should be credited to the actual director Matt Reeves and writer Drew Goddard. Who's previous writing credits include Lost, Angel, Alias, and Buffy TV.
As I started to see more and more trailers for Cloverfield before its release, I feared it would become Dawson's Creek meets Godzilla. For the first 10 minutes, I started to feel that was where it was going. Until the first 'shake'. Then it became a full fledged giant monster rampage flick and it never let go. But I will admit that it had the copy paste guy meets girl, guy looses girl, guy saves girl, elements that plagued the Transformers movie. Big difference is Lili Mirojnick, even though she had less screen time, had more substance than Megan Fox in Transformers.
Cloverfield clocks in at only 84 minutes. But it is a tight film that gave me just enough of everything to be satisfying. For me, it's the first time a giant monster rampage flick gave me that feeling of having lived what I saw on screen. It did this by never breaking from the first person camcorder format. At first the jerky camera was a little jarring, but my eyes quickly adjusted.
When 911 happened I kept my VCR recording for almost a week 24 hours a day. A lot of Cloverfield reminded me of the amateur video that was shot then. But the film seems to try to avoid the comparison. Since nobody on screen, that I can remember, ever associates the two events. Even though in real life, I bet that everyone there would state, 'it's like 911 all over again!' When remembering that 911 footage, it helped me justify some parts when the camera guy didn't point the camera at the action. A few times I thought, 'point the camera at the monster you idiot!' But I remembered times in my own life, when using a camcorder, I found myself watching one thing, and pointing the camera at something else. Of course I wasn't being attacked by Mothra.
For the reasons I loved Cloverfield, my twelve year old son hated it. There are no winners. No Rambo stunts. No wrap up with a pretty bow. No explanation as to why or how. I don't want to give away anything. But this isn't a happy movie.
I predict that another version of this film will be released in theaters, with additional footage, if it is the success they hope it to be. I know I want to see it again on the big screen and additional footage could fill the seats a second time. The DVD release will be interesting. Since watching this version, I felt there was even more carnage they wanted to show. But they wanted that PG-13 rating. Wise or not. I don't know.
The oddest thing about the Cloverfield Experience was the audience reaction afterword. Full theater....dead quiet. I know I was quiet because in my head I was thinking, 'Wow. I just lived that.' But I wondered how many there thought, 'What the hell was that?' While watching the film, I kept wondering how it was going to end. How would they eventually break that fourth wall. Since the film began as though it were a video feed stating, Property Of The United States Government. My son turned to me and thought there was something wrong with the movie. It ended much in the same way. But eventually, when the credits did roll, the Cloverfield Overture 'Roar!' played. Loudly. That piece of music kept me in the theater until the last credit. Just before the Paramount card shows at the end, I could hear a faint voice. I am not sure what it said. But it gave me that last bit of creepiness.
I would recommend all my friends see this on the best screen with best sound system as soon as possible. So they could enjoy the Cloverfield Experience as I did. Since calling this a movie in the traditional sense would be a false representation.
Have some fun. Go Live Cloverfield!