Love it or Despise it, This Movie is Different

Rating: 8/10 (16 January 2008)

Cloverfield is essentially a love story. The city is being attacked by a monster and Rob Hawkins (Michael Stahl-David) must try and rescue Beth McIntyre (Odette Yustman) who didn't even know she was loved. His friends Lily Ford (Jesssica Lucas) and Hud (T.J. Miller) tag along to help. Hud films the movie so you rarely see his face.
There are so many reasons to dislike this movie, but I didn't. For those who have seen the trailer, there might be concerns that the camera action is too jerky. It is. It definitely is. The movie goes for realism so you have to suffer through some scenes that strained my ability to follow what was going on.
Regardless of the jerky camera action, I was leaning forward in my seat soaking in the action be it good or bad.
A great deal of mystery has been surrounding the monster. It doesn't stop while you are watching. Like the original Alien movie, the monster is a tease. You want to see more, but they keep showing portions of it and just tidbits. Thankfully the viewer is not robbed and some really good perspectives do get shown.
Although I did not laugh, many people did because Hud the cameraman isn't the brightest and some of the things he says or films does warrant laughter. It got a smile from me.
The monster attacking the city is accompanied by some smaller ones. If you've seen Starship Troopers, that's the best way to imagine them. Some of the CGI wire frames looked like it might have been borrowed from Starship Troopers.
The ending evoked mixed emotions for me. I really liked the way it was done. There were so many wrong ways it could have ended, but the movie shows a little respect for the characters and the ending is proof.