A clever premise keeps the audience literally off-balance.
Cloverfield (2008)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:192
Fresh:147
Rotten:45
Average Rating:6.8/10
Consensus: A sort of Blair Witch Project crossed with Godzilla, Cloverfield is economically paced, stylistically clever, and filled with scares.
Rated: 15 [See Full Rating] for violence, terror and disturbing images.
Runtime: 85 mins
Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy
Theatrical Release:01-02-2008
Synopsis: Director Matt Reeves (THE PALLBEARER) and producer J. J. Abrams (LOST, ALIAS) turn a mysterious monster loose in Manhattan in the disaster flick CLOVERFIELD. The movie begins at a party for Rob... Director Matt Reeves (THE PALLBEARER) and producer J. J. Abrams (LOST, ALIAS) turn a mysterious monster loose in Manhattan in the disaster flick CLOVERFIELD. The movie begins at a party for Rob (Michael Stahl-David), who has accepted a promotion that will send him to Japan. Hud (T. J. Miller) is entrusted with the responsibility of videotaping the party--and as the trouble grows, he holds on to the camera, recording everything that happens. In fact, the entire movie is seen through the lens of his camera, reminiscent of THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT. As terrified people in a post-9/11 New York City take to the streets, Rob decides to head uptown to try to save Beth (Odette Yustman), the woman he loves, though he's afraid to tell her so. Rob is joined by his brother Jason (Mike Vogel), Jason's girlfriend Lily (Jessica Lucas), Lily's friend Marlena (Lizzy Caplan), and Hud, who has a thing for Marlena. Rob is determined not to give up, even after almost being crushed by the Statue of Liberty's head and as the military shows up to force evacuation of the city. Reeves and first-time screenwriter Drew Goddard, who previously has written television episodes of such series as BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, ANGEL, ALIAS, and LOST, focus in on the central aspect of the story: people trying to survive the monster attack. Very little else is explained, since the story is told completely through the video camera. And there is no additional score to heighten the drama; the only music is that which is picked up by Hud and the camera's microphone, including snippets of songs by Kings of Leon, Parliament Funkadelic, Of Montreal, and others. The anticipation of CLOVERFIELD's release was enhanced by a viral marketing campaign that included Web sites built around the main characters and even the fictional drink Slusho. [More]
Starring: Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman, Lizzy Caplan
Starring: Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman, Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, T.J. Miller
Director: Matt Reeves
Director: Matt Reeves
Screenwriter: Drew Goddard
Producer: J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Reviews for Cloverfield
a milestone in contemporary filmmaking [that] appeals directly to the maturing YouTube generation without pandering.
clearly a reflection of post 9/11 fears that boasts terrific effects...a convincing ride if not a terrifically ground-breaking one.
Basically a 70-minute YouTube video, Cloverfield has all the head-rattling jolt and dramatic verisimilitude of a prank phone call.
There has never been a film of its kind so intense, so personal, so real.
The movie eventually falls into monster movie clichés...If you're into the movie, you won't care. If you're fed up, you'll just laugh.
It's the end of the world as captured on an unsteady camcorder, a YouTube panic attack.
Despite a first reel entirely devoted to establishing characters, Cloverfield is basically a line-'em-up, pick-'em-off horror movie that's effective without being either viscerally frightening or emotionally moving.
A relentless, I-thought-my-eyeballs-were-bleeding exercise in visual disorientation.
While it [the "camcorder ploy"] injects the film with a run-and-gun urgency, the device grows tiresome and ultimately leaves the film shortchanged.
the best monster film to come around in decades and one that not only lives up to its hype, but surpasses it in every conceivable fashion.
The low-tech hype is a sham, since it has the support of the sorts of digital effects used in conventional films.
Reeves's film works hard to negate any noteworthy meaning from its mayhem.
Cloverfield is a cute concept but little more. Devoid of any genuine character development or notable acting, the film is a slapdash affair which manages to be neither funny nor frightening.
Alarming and nothing short of terrifying. Cloverfield is the year's first unadulterated masterpiece. There has never been anything quite like it.
There's nothing to Cloverfield, really, but stripped-down chaos shot in a faux-verite Blair Witch Project fashion...But I have to say, I was with it.
It's hard to imagine how anyone will top this. It's magnificent in its harsh reality. It is the monster movie remade for the 21st-century, post-9/11 world.
Latest News for Cloverfield
April 27, 2009:
Five Favourite Films with J. J. Abrams
The blockbuster season is upon us and amongst the line-up is the highly anticipated reboot of Star Trek. RT spoke to the man in the captain's chair, J. J. Abrams, about his... More...
March 02, 2009:
Abrams Plots Cloverfield Sequel-Type Thing ![]()
Saying "the idea's pretty sweet," J.J. Abrams has confirmed that a sequel to "Cloverfield" -- or at least a new movie "related to" it -- is on the table. More...
September 25, 2008:
Matt Reeves Will Let the Right One In ![]()
Overture is prepping a remake of Tomas Alfredson's Swedish vampire movie "Lat Den Ratte Komma In," to be helmed by "Cloverfield" director Matt Reeves. More...
April 21, 2008:
RT on DVD: Cloverfield, Charlie Wilson and 2008's Worst-Reviewed Film
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a Slusho, whatever that is! Cloverfield stomps its way onto DVD as not only the most exciting new release of the week, but the one most... More...
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