Very original take on the classic monster movie.

Rating: 9/10 (16 January 2008)

Cloverfield in my opinion was excellent. I had been following a bit of the hype and viral marketing that went along with the film and was excited about seeing it.
I just saw the first screening here in NZ and again it was great. The way the movie is all shot with hand held was really cool and made the film really visceral and real. I know people were moaning a bit about the shaky camera, but I actually found myself questioning it in parts because it wasn't shaky enough. The whole thing really worked.
I was a little skeptical about it being a J.J. Abrams production however, as he annoyed me with Lost and never answering questions and replacing them with new ones etc. But there was sufficient info given in the movie as to not feel like you were left severely hanging at the end. There are questions left unanswered which is understandable considering it is just these peoples video account.
The monster was pretty cool and you get to see pretty much the entire thing throughout the film. It also carries some scary cargo which it drops all over the place that make for a tense subway run. All in all I was pretty satisfied with the monster, except for its apparent invulnerability.
Because it was a movie it did have to have a bit of a story and it mostly revolves around the relationship between Rob and his long time friend, recently love interest, Beth. This part was what made me drop this to a 9 and not a 10. It was a little corny that this guy would risk his life and the lives of his friends to go back into the city where a giant monster is, to save his girlfriend who is almost certainly dead anyway. It didn't make a lot of sense and I don't think people can relate to it, I know I really couldn't. I did on many occasions just think "why aren't they getting the hell out of the city?" or "what the hell is he thinking?!". This was my feeling mainly when he decides to go inside Beth's apartment building which has collapsed onto another one, you'll see...
However leaving the main story behind and focusing on the rest of the film it is an awesome ride and a very original monster film. It warrants another watch for the experience of being there all over again. I doubt a sequel will follow however it would be nice to have it wrapped up in a nice neat little package, but I imagine that will spoil the feel of the film.
Although not for everyone (especially those with severe motion sickness), Cloverfield lives up to the hype and is a fabulous way to spend $15. Definitely a must see among the recent releases lately.