Cloverfield - not normally my cup of tea - but in this case.......

Rating: 8/10 (19 January 2008)

Excellent film. A story of friendship, bravery, doing things because they are right, not because they are easy. Ultimately one of hopelessness - and I guess that would be my beef - - some indication that the humans were getting the upper hand would have been nice, and make the sacrifice of the friends worthwhile.
As it is, their friendship and subsequent "mission" to rescue Beth became futile.
The film was well made and got the viewer completely engrossed in the quartet and their progress through Manhattan. The warning about motion sickness due to the hand-held camera is well meant I am sure but after a few minutes I became used to the effect an it certainly added an element of tension. Th cut-backs to the previous film, showing the couple in happier times on Coney Island was a nice touch.
It was also good to have no overt camera product placements - but maybe a real video-camera would not have survived the things this one did, so no manufacturer could claim it!
The benefits of having a charged cell phone battery at all times led to one of the (few) humorous moments as folk were looting an electronic store for plasma TVs whilst all our hero wants is a battery.
The PG rating is probably fair - no bad language - but any parent taking an 8 year old in needs talking to!!