Cloverfield Delivers in a MONSTER Way

Rating: 9/10 (19 January 2008)

The first time I saw Cloverfield was when it was first unveiled, at the early showings of Transformers. Everyone in the sold out theater was buzzing after what was truly to be a know-nothing film. Not only that, but it created a MAJOR buzz throughout the WORLD. Rumors were flying everywhere, no truths were handed out.
I was immediately hooked to the movie. A longtime fan of J.J. Abrams, I knew that seeing his name attached to such a mysterious project meant only one thing: drama. And a sh*tload of it.
After seeing Transformers, I went home and got to work on unraveling what Cloverfield could be about. I knew I wouldn't get far, as Abrams tends to NOT lean movie-goers to ANYTHING helpful. Sure, the rumors out there were really juicy, but it took 2 weeks for anything big to happen.
I say all this background because not only does it set up the ENTIRE film, but it also allows for ANYTHING to happen. Nobody knew anything about the film, except that it was directed as if a New Yorker was experiencing it.
And let me tell you. It worked. Big time. Not only did it add to the drama, but you were actually participating in the movie. It added a level of realism to the story that I don't think has ever been achieved otherwise.
And the monster: FANTASTIC. Without ruining too much for you, and actually not at all, but forget everything you knew about this movie. It won't help you. Even if you've seen footage of the film, you were severely mislead. The characters are freakin REAL. This actually happened...and you were there.
This bad guy kicks ass all over the place. Think Godzilla, but for the awesome ass-kicking age we live in now. Action is fast-paced, and whatever Hud(the "director", and/or the one with the camera) sees you see. That includes falling down, personal feelings over monster action, and huge physical jerks from the unknown creature.
In closing, because this review is getting to be a bit lengthy, GO SEE THIS MOVIE. It brings a new feeling and emotion to the big screen, and if you aren't quick enough, you might miss the biggest thing to come out of Manhattan since King Kong.