Deconstructivist??? Not quite so clever

Rating: 5/10 (24 October 2008)

I would, and as an architect i'm taking no huge gamble here, presume that as the previous review concluded, a deconstructivist approach requires a plethora of construction before it can be 'taken apart' or 'reassembled in a different way or form. Cloverfield is not so clever as to do this, so I must strongly disagree with that opinion. However I want to make it clear that I have not managed to watch all of this film - yet this in itself says something - so I am giving it the slightly friendly 5 out of 10.
OK, so the good - it's not all horrific - the camera work is effective. True, the Blair witch was terrifying and this style of docu-filming is pretty well based in commercial films, many of which not under the horror genre - take the Bourne trilogy for instance, where hand cams convey tightness of space or action scenes - reminiscent of NYPD Blue - conveying third person looking in, gritty and involving, not so slick, real.
Unlike many films in this block-horror genre, we do start to care for one or two of the characters - the splicing of romantic outings as the main story develops allows us for a moment to empathise with two characters.
Unfortunately this film doesn't really know what it wants to be - shock CGI horror or docu-style awakening. There is contradiction - which is an intelligent thing to have in a film - yet it doesn't create a friction which is translated intelligibly, i.e, If this film attempts to span both genres, it fails in much the same way as third person pornography does - however it still gets people off, perhaps in this way the story is skin deep and highly fantasy. This is due to the CGI which, and here's the problem, contradicts the gritty realism of DVD-cam filming; it just doesn't sit right and seems too gratuitous in contrast to such a modest medium. Secondly, the thin-ness of the supporting cast are so shoddily typified that you couldn't care less whether they died or not and in most cases you wish they simply would to spare anymore annoying dialogue.
I have been a fan of films such as 'Host' - for its cinematography and rolling shots combined with CGI as much as 'the thing' which relied completely on animatronics, then the psychological suggestive nature of 'Blair Witch', yet all these films create a cult of their own because they're unique - they manage to tap into a 'feeling' that involves you and offers up a new exciting dish to explore. Cloverfield is much the same as any other large Hollywood horror, aliens or no.
It is entertainment, no to be confused than anything more than that, lets not mince words here or dish out fancy labels. If you love CGI and dig the blockbuster horror/sci-fi genre then go rent it - you'll love it. If you're a bit old school and want to think a bit about whats going on, go rent the Japanese (original) Ring 1 and 2 films and you'll never look at your TV in the same gratuitous manner.
Donnie