A very rare and unique monster film

Rating: 8/10 (18 December 2010)

After reading many reviews from this film I decided to check it out. I wasn't all that interesting in the film when it came out back in 2008, so I finally decided to watch it, and I thought it was pretty good. Cloverfield is a unique monster film because of the filming method (its all by a hand-held camera). Its engaging and very entertaining. At first it gets somewhat distracting and annoying then you eventually get used to it. And I thought it actually worked- it made the audience feel as if they were actually there with the group of people seeing the monster attack. Cloverfield has some good thrills, many of them are from jump scenes with the monsters (not too scary and unexpected). The film was pretty interesting but it could have been better had they focused more on the monster. The movie is pretty short. The first 20 mins takes place at a party then the film takes off when the friends notice a monster from outside. Most of the main cast end up dying and since its being filmed by a hand-held camera, you don't see how brutal the death's are- it happens pretty quick.
The characters were alright, not really that likable but not that bad. I think they should have done more development on them to have made the film better. Cloverfield is definitely better than that garbage Skyline- which gets compared to because of its recent monster/alien type films. Watching Cloverfield, you could tell that Skyline borrowed many scenes from the film. I think Cloverfield could have been better had they made the film about 20 minutes longer. The actual film ended around the 73rd minute (73.45). This film is definitely not for everyone. Many complaints are from the camera but to watch a film like this you need to have an open mind, and take it for what it is.