Cloverfield
From the online buzz alone Cloverfield has found itself one of the most talked about movies of the year, that it is a relatively high budget monster movie being released in January makes it fairly unique from the off. Masquerading as found footage from a real; life event the film takes place solely from the point of view of a video camera, placed smack bang in the middle of an epic disaster movie, through much the of films uninterrupted takes and continued filming we follow a rag tag bunch of New Yorkers as the city comes under attack from an unknown creature, then as they venture back into the city to rescue one of their friends who lies trapped. It’s a simple premise and yet the way in which Cloverfield is presented and crafted makes it unique, the natural result of societies obsession with reality TV the film managed to perfectly capture the atmosphere of terror and confusion, all the while delivering big screen spectacle and characters you actually care about.
The opening sections of the film are cleverly constructed, we follow the camera around a party for Rob (Michael Stahl-David), who is about to leave for a new job in Japan. Whilst at the party the camera is shifted to his best friend Hud (a sly nod to the Heads Up Display found in most computer game first person screens). Hud becomes the narrator and the audiences eyes and ears for the remainder of the film, so it’s a relief to find that he is a good host, funny, sarcastic and loyal and perfectly suited to the job of cameraman. Within the party setting we get a good build up of the characters in the film and their relationships, it is a perfectly crafted section that manages to be realistic and believable and also very engaging, so much so that you get caught up in the drama, the nature of the film becomes forgotten, so that when the proverbial starts to hit the fan, it is all the more jarring and unnatural. Of course once things go wrong they just don’t stop, from the moment an explosion is seen in the downtown area to the end the film rarely lets up, creating one great set piece after another, keeping it all feeling fresh though the use of the video camera POV. Unlike typical monster movies we don’t know exactly what is going on, snippets of news reports and conversations hint at a wider problem but largely our knowledge is limited to that of the characters, something that makes it all the more terrifying and tense.
Visually the film is stunning, the rough and ready filming approach can jar a little, those with motion sickness may not want to sit too close to the screen, but there is always just enough shown in order to get your barings, and first time director Matt Reeves shows he has a great eye for the little details, just showing you glimpses and eventually more and more of the creature as the film progresses. The way these digital effects are blended into the handheld footage is nothing short of astonishing and is so successful at creating a believable and plausible story. Nothing in the film takes you out of the world that has been created and largely works so well because of the immersive nature of the visual effects. The acting too is impressive, often such films are let down by unbelievable performances but here all the relatively unknown actors inhabit their characters perfectly creating a genuine bond. They seem real and human, and also like they are good friends, which makes sitting through the events of the film with them enjoyable but also nerve wracking.
Overall Cloverfield is a massive success, its desire to re-imagine the monster movie for the you tube generation works, the execution is grand and unique and more than any other film experience of recent times it leaves you breathless and on edge. Its short runtime is evidence that you can craft a well honed and effective story in under 2 hours and its faithfulness to its characters help it resonate long after your senses have recovered.
Masterfully crafted and knowing Cloverfield revives the monster movie for the 21st century creating an immersive and powerful story with well crafted characters. The first blockbuster of the year and rightfully so.
From the online buzz alone Cloverfield has found itself one of the most talked about movies of the year, that it is a relatively high budget monster movie being released in January makes it fairly unique from the off. Masquerading as found footage from a real; life event the film takes place solely from the point of view of a video camera, placed smack bang in the middle of an epic disaster movie, through much the of films uninterrupted takes and continued filming we follow a rag tag bunch of New Yorkers as the city comes under attack from an unknown creature, then as they venture back into the city to rescue one of their friends who lies trapped. It’s a simple premise and yet the way in which Cloverfield is presented and crafted makes it unique, the natural result of societies obsession with reality TV the film managed to perfectly capture the atmosphere of terror and confusion, all the while delivering big screen spectacle and characters you actually care about.
The opening sections of the film are cleverly constructed, we follow the camera around a party for Rob (Michael Stahl-David), who is about to leave for a new job in Japan. Whilst at the party the camera is shifted to his best friend Hud (a sly nod to the Heads Up Display found in most computer game first person screens). Hud becomes the narrator and the audiences eyes and ears for the remainder of the film, so it’s a relief to find that he is a good host, funny, sarcastic and loyal and perfectly suited to the job of cameraman. Within the party setting we get a good build up of the characters in the film and their relationships, it is a perfectly crafted section that manages to be realistic and believable and also very engaging, so much so that you get caught up in the drama, the nature of the film becomes forgotten, so that when the proverbial starts to hit the fan, it is all the more jarring and unnatural. Of course once things go wrong they just don’t stop, from the moment an explosion is seen in the downtown area to the end the film rarely lets up, creating one great set piece after another, keeping it all feeling fresh though the use of the video camera POV. Unlike typical monster movies we don’t know exactly what is going on, snippets of news reports and conversations hint at a wider problem but largely our knowledge is limited to that of the characters, something that makes it all the more terrifying and tense.
Visually the film is stunning, the rough and ready filming approach can jar a little, those with motion sickness may not want to sit too close to the screen, but there is always just enough shown in order to get your barings, and first time director Matt Reeves shows he has a great eye for the little details, just showing you glimpses and eventually more and more of the creature as the film progresses. The way these digital effects are blended into the handheld footage is nothing short of astonishing and is so successful at creating a believable and plausible story. Nothing in the film takes you out of the world that has been created and largely works so well because of the immersive nature of the visual effects. The acting too is impressive, often such films are let down by unbelievable performances but here all the relatively unknown actors inhabit their characters perfectly creating a genuine bond. They seem real and human, and also like they are good friends, which makes sitting through the events of the film with them enjoyable but also nerve wracking.
Overall Cloverfield is a massive success, its desire to re-imagine the monster movie for the you tube generation works, the execution is grand and unique and more than any other film experience of recent times it leaves you breathless and on edge. Its short runtime is evidence that you can craft a well honed and effective story in under 2 hours and its faithfulness to its characters help it resonate long after your senses have recovered.
Masterfully crafted and knowing Cloverfield revives the monster movie for the 21st century creating an immersive and powerful story with well crafted characters. The first blockbuster of the year and rightfully so.
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