A hell of a movie

Rating: 7/10 (26 January 2008)

Cloverfield is a different kind of movie. Like The Blair Witch Project, it presents itself as a first-hand account of a fictional event, attempting to make it more realistic. Instead of progressing like a conventional story, it unfolds as a series of events in a several-hour-long span of time.
Unlike the Blair Witch Project, Cloverfield succeeds in putting the viewer in the middle of the chaos. At times, I was so invested in the characters and their conflict that I found myself panicking with them.
This movie is brilliantly executed. The camera work was filmed in an amateur fashion, but never lingers on a shot or idles at the storyteller's feet for too long. The pace is good, too, giving the audience time to breathe after major events.
Cloverfield isn't for everybody. The guy I saw it with hated it for the reasons I loved it. I think it has a lot to do with expectations. If you expect a conventional movie when seeing this movie, you will be disappointed. Just know going into it that it will surprise you.