You've seen it before, but not like this.

Rating: 8/10 (10 October 2008)

Putting audiences right in the middle of the action is what many thrillers try to do. Many succeed, many do not, but what is true that "Cloverfield" succeeds tremendously. The hand-held camera gimmick and pseudo-documentary, that has been around since at least the infamous film "Cannibal Holocaust" and greatly popularized by "The Blair Witch Project," is given a new genre - the monster disaster film, a la "Godzilla." The Hollywood version of "Godzilla" even took place in Manhattan just like this film, which also includes massive destruction to large parts of the city. Some of it is eerily similar to 9/11 as dust from collapsing buildings floods down a street engulfing fleeing people.
The difference here is that "Cloverfield" isn't about awing audiences with tremendous special effects, but locking them into a thrilling point of view. Think of it like a roller-coaster; once it gets going it is fast paced with many things being just a blur, but the end experience leaves you breathless. That invites multiple viewings to see what might have been missed first time around, because once the main part starts "Cloverfield" is remarkably tense. The cinematography evokes that frenetic action of a helpless person running with a camcorder amidst destruction, but it is very well done and a careful viewing reveals more than might have been originally thought in all that blur and shake. The sound is also great. There is a possibility that it sticks out due to the shaky visuals and thus a viewer is forced to listen more carefully to get information, but when a film encourages its viewers to more closely inspect its details, rather than spoon-feeding it outright, can only be a good thing.
ASIDE: it remains amusing that a standard camcorder can record so well after going through so much punishment!
All in all, the dramatic aspects of the film aren't that original and thus the film is ultimately something that has been done before. However, it hasn't been done in this manner and that alone makes this a cinematic ride well worth taking. --- 8/10
BsCDb Classification: 13+ --- terror/violence