Godzilla, for the post 9/11 generation

Rating: 8/10 (13 June 2009)

I was lucky enough to see this film without knowing anything about it, and so, even though i am going to be economical with the truth, i have marked this post as containing spoilers for those who haven't already seen the film.
The film opens and we are lulled into a sense of security and the mundane as we explore the lives of our main characters, a relatively well off bunch of normal American 20 somethings. The whole thing is shot on what appears to be a hand held video camera. And then something Happens. Chaos ensues, and we begin to get to know our characters more intimately as we follow them through unfolding and seemingly inexplicable events. It taps, very uncomfortably, and unlike any other disaster movie I have seen, right into the vein of psychology associated with the imminence and possibility of terrorism, which is so prevalent in todays society. It deals with a huge, unnamed fear, which seemingly cannot be fought or escaped.
Although Cloverfield has split opinion quite widely, I find it to be an interesting, refreshing and in my opinion extremely relevant film, and truly a monster movie of today. Where another film would go for the gore and the jumps throughout, Cloverfield tempers its shocks with long periods of darkness, confusion and character development, letting us draw our own lines and conclusions. But the real strength of this film, and what makes it so genuinely frightening, is what is left unseen and unknown.