Worth the wait!!!

Rating: 9/10 (10 February 2008)

This just opened in South Africa this past weekend. After all the teasers I've seen concerning this movie, I was definitely curious about whether it would be worth all the hype. After reading the reviews once it opened in America, I got the feeling the critics were divided 50-50. Going into it, I knew already that the whole movie was basically like watching a home movie recording. Was I really in the mood for such an experiment? So, with some trepidation I went ahead and watched it...
Verdict? Yikes!!! It was awesome. Something totally different and original. Amazing special effects, simple yet effective plot line, no well-known actors (making it seem more realistic), and a director who knows how to ratchet up the tension. By now, you know the plot: While throwing a surprise farewell bash for a friend, a group of New York 20-somethings witness their city being overrun by a huge monster. And all the while, one of them is walking around with a hand-held video camera recording everything. Doesn't seem like much to work with, but the most effective stories are usually the simplest. One definitely gets the feeling of being there in the thick of the action. With quite a few effective scare moments, this movie definitely takes a well-worn idea and makes it its own. The jerkiness and continual unsteadiness of what you see on screen won't be for everyone though. It worked for me, against all my expectations.
This movie of course most resembles Godzilla, but with quite a bit of James Cameron's Aliens thrown into the mix. Definitely one to see on the big screen, DVD just won't do it justice.