01-31-2008, 05:52 AM
My review! It might end up being a little bit long, as I'm including personal experiences as well as it kind of explains how I became a fan of the movie. Hope it's okay.
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I first heard about Cloverfield in October when my brother showed me a trailer of it. As we were both fans of Lost, we both found it to be pretty exciting. Although I never thought too much of it after that, because in general I don't really follow the ins-and-outs of upcoming movies and the like, as I'm more of a video game fan usually. So I put it in the back of my mind as a movie to possibly see, and thought the same thing again when I saw the second trailer a couple of months later.
A few days before Cloverfield's release [here in Australia we actually got it on 16 Jan, so two days before the US], my fiance asked me if I wanted to go and see the movie as he wanted to go and see it, and also my brother asked me if I wanted to go as well. I kind of was undecided about it and really was considering not going. But the night before not only changed my mind [jumped on the phone to my fiance as I rather see it with him than my brother XD], but also found myself really looking forward to the movie. That's never happened before, and it was strange seeing it was a 50/50 chance to go.
So the following day, we head to the cinema and settle in for 'the hype' as I put it.
For the first 20 mins or so we're kind of sitting there thinking 'when's this monster turning up'. All we both knew was that there was a monster, but that's it as we hadn't looked at any of the viral material or the like. So of course when this earth shattering roar is heard when Rob is getting the lecture, I jump in my seat and settle in for the ride.
From that moment onwards I was captivated by it all. The visuals, the sounds, the effects. Even though my eyes are darting around trying to follow the action due to the video camera view, I found my self literally spellbound by it all. For some reason, it was like something had my attention and I really couldn't shake it. I really don't know how to explain it, but I have never been this way in a movie before, and I've seen a lot of movies over the years in the cinema. I kept wanting to find out what was next and what was going to happen. Everything kept me intrigued, from the glimpses of the monster, to the near-death situations [or in some cases actual death situations], to just the whole dark atmosphere to it all.
My favorite part
One part in particular really impressed me more than the rest. This was the subway scenes. On one hand I was reminded of one of my favorite game series, Silent Hill [in particular Silent Hill 4 which has a subway section]. The whole emptiness. You just knew that one of the little monsters was gong to pop out at any moment, but you didn't know when. Every time you did think one might have come out, nothing happened, and the group just continued on. The whole walking in the dark was creepy as hell, and even more so with the night vision and eventual attack by the creatures.
As a side note here, the dark subway section also gave the best humor in the game. 'Flaming Homeless Guys' have now become a regular in joke making amongst me and my brother. And the sarcastic jokes between Marlena and Hud about Superman are also classics.
Realism
The other thing that impressed me the most about this movie was the realism of it. Not just with the use of the camera, but also with the situations the characters got into and how they got out of them. Of course you're probably thinking 'what am I smoking' about now ... 'how can a movie about giant monsters be realistic?!?'. By the realism I mean the way the characters handled themselves. With many movies like this where a character has to survive, they'll often miraculously find a gun or other effective weapon nearby. In Cloverfield survival by the only means most people would know. Running, using only simple objects nearby for defense [or in some cases their own feet to kick] and a lot of goddamn luck! That really impressed me, as there was no need for guns or anything like that. I really felt that if something like this were to happen, this would have been what it would have been like. The only thing I did kind of question was that if it were the case, I'm sure the camera wouldn't have been with them all the time. The only other part that didn't seem realistic is when the monster ate Hud, it seemed strange to have just come out of nowhere with no one noticing it. Although that's a minor gripe.
Sound and Visual
These were awesome. Really not much more to say other than in a cinema experience they really went well. A couple of times I jumped due to sudden sounds. Visuals were awesome and effective and very appropriate to the video camera angle.
Acting and Characters
I'm not too good at reviewing the acting of the characters or the characters themselves, so this part will be kind of short. But for the most part, I think the acting was decent. The characters seemed to fit in well. I thought Marlena was a little 'strange', but she seemed like someone who wasn't very social and quiet, so probably part of her character. In a way I probably related to her the most ironically. I found Rob to be determined and Hud was funny. Beth was sweet, I liked her, it's a pity we didn't see more of her.
Not what you'd expect
This was a movie full of unexpected turns. Not only did three of the main characters get killed off during the course of the movie, but we're left with two more at the end possibly [read:most likely] dying under the rubble. Only Lily appeared to have survived. Most movies don't do that. Movies like to give you 'happy endings'. Like if Rob and Beth would have got out of the city successfully and lived to tell their tale. But Cloverfield didn't do that. It went for the shock ending. I like movies that are brave and dare to do something different. Other unexpected turns came about in much of the storyline itself. Like I mentioned earlier, not knowing what was going to happen next. Cloverfield was a movie where you really did expect the unexpected.
Wut? No plot?
A lot of the criticism I've heard about this movie is a lack of storyline or plot. Ironically, I'm usually a person who likes a good storyline over a bunch of action. But with Cloverfield it was different. There was the 'underlying' story of Rob and Beth, although that was generally secondary to the main point of the movie. The first time I didn't think too much of the love part of it, but after a couple of more screenings, I thought it was sweet ... I guess it's the romantic side of me. XD It also allowed the movie to have a little more to it than just trying to get out of the city. By deciding to try and rescue Beth, Rob had a goal and he wasn't going to let anything get in his way in regards to it. Although in a way the movie didn't have much of a plot compared to many movies, I really don't think it needed one. I think having an in-depth plot would have taken away from the focus of the movie. Instead we are left with lots of questions.
Asking for more
Which is my final point I'll make in my review and the final reason why I find I like Cloverfield so much. It leaves you asking for so much. It's like a season of Lost back-to-back. There's so many unanswered questions and so many possibilities for a sequel. Of course some of these questions may be answered in the online information that I'm going to be delving into soon. As soon as the movie finished, I was asking my partner about things and then later that day when I got home, me and my brother started talking about it. Is the monster still alive? Where did it come from? Is it intelligent? Why is it there? Did anyone survive? What happened to Marlena, was it more than just a bit? The list went on and on.
One complaint
Of course there is one complaint I have ... and that's the shortness of it. I really would have liked to see the movie go for a bit longer. I don't mean a drawn out 2 hour plus movie, but maybe an additional 10 or 20 minutes might have just allowed for a little bit more.
So from a movie I wasn't sure I wanted to see, I've become in love with it. Each time I see it, I notice more and more things about it. I haven't been into a movie like this for a very long time [not since Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, although that was kind of for different reasons because I am a big Final Fantasy fan]. Even going back again doesn't detract from it, although the first time was still the most impressive. I'm glad that I didn't decide not to see it on opening day a couple of weeks ago. I might have listened to those people who said it wasn't very good and not gone to see it. I know this sounds like a lot, but to me Cloverfield is one of my favorite movies of all time. I look forward to a sequel, and until then, will go a few more times to see it in the cinema, and begin to delve into the associated mysteries of it all through the viral media form.
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*phew* That's one long review. I hope I don't bore anyone! Positive or negative feedback is welcome [actually I hope I get some feedback, as it's my first review like this so I'd like to know how I went]. Thank you in advance taking your time out to read this.
Summoner Yuna...
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I first heard about Cloverfield in October when my brother showed me a trailer of it. As we were both fans of Lost, we both found it to be pretty exciting. Although I never thought too much of it after that, because in general I don't really follow the ins-and-outs of upcoming movies and the like, as I'm more of a video game fan usually. So I put it in the back of my mind as a movie to possibly see, and thought the same thing again when I saw the second trailer a couple of months later.
A few days before Cloverfield's release [here in Australia we actually got it on 16 Jan, so two days before the US], my fiance asked me if I wanted to go and see the movie as he wanted to go and see it, and also my brother asked me if I wanted to go as well. I kind of was undecided about it and really was considering not going. But the night before not only changed my mind [jumped on the phone to my fiance as I rather see it with him than my brother XD], but also found myself really looking forward to the movie. That's never happened before, and it was strange seeing it was a 50/50 chance to go.
So the following day, we head to the cinema and settle in for 'the hype' as I put it.
For the first 20 mins or so we're kind of sitting there thinking 'when's this monster turning up'. All we both knew was that there was a monster, but that's it as we hadn't looked at any of the viral material or the like. So of course when this earth shattering roar is heard when Rob is getting the lecture, I jump in my seat and settle in for the ride.
From that moment onwards I was captivated by it all. The visuals, the sounds, the effects. Even though my eyes are darting around trying to follow the action due to the video camera view, I found my self literally spellbound by it all. For some reason, it was like something had my attention and I really couldn't shake it. I really don't know how to explain it, but I have never been this way in a movie before, and I've seen a lot of movies over the years in the cinema. I kept wanting to find out what was next and what was going to happen. Everything kept me intrigued, from the glimpses of the monster, to the near-death situations [or in some cases actual death situations], to just the whole dark atmosphere to it all.
My favorite part
One part in particular really impressed me more than the rest. This was the subway scenes. On one hand I was reminded of one of my favorite game series, Silent Hill [in particular Silent Hill 4 which has a subway section]. The whole emptiness. You just knew that one of the little monsters was gong to pop out at any moment, but you didn't know when. Every time you did think one might have come out, nothing happened, and the group just continued on. The whole walking in the dark was creepy as hell, and even more so with the night vision and eventual attack by the creatures.
As a side note here, the dark subway section also gave the best humor in the game. 'Flaming Homeless Guys' have now become a regular in joke making amongst me and my brother. And the sarcastic jokes between Marlena and Hud about Superman are also classics.
Realism
The other thing that impressed me the most about this movie was the realism of it. Not just with the use of the camera, but also with the situations the characters got into and how they got out of them. Of course you're probably thinking 'what am I smoking' about now ... 'how can a movie about giant monsters be realistic?!?'. By the realism I mean the way the characters handled themselves. With many movies like this where a character has to survive, they'll often miraculously find a gun or other effective weapon nearby. In Cloverfield survival by the only means most people would know. Running, using only simple objects nearby for defense [or in some cases their own feet to kick] and a lot of goddamn luck! That really impressed me, as there was no need for guns or anything like that. I really felt that if something like this were to happen, this would have been what it would have been like. The only thing I did kind of question was that if it were the case, I'm sure the camera wouldn't have been with them all the time. The only other part that didn't seem realistic is when the monster ate Hud, it seemed strange to have just come out of nowhere with no one noticing it. Although that's a minor gripe.
Sound and Visual
These were awesome. Really not much more to say other than in a cinema experience they really went well. A couple of times I jumped due to sudden sounds. Visuals were awesome and effective and very appropriate to the video camera angle.
Acting and Characters
I'm not too good at reviewing the acting of the characters or the characters themselves, so this part will be kind of short. But for the most part, I think the acting was decent. The characters seemed to fit in well. I thought Marlena was a little 'strange', but she seemed like someone who wasn't very social and quiet, so probably part of her character. In a way I probably related to her the most ironically. I found Rob to be determined and Hud was funny. Beth was sweet, I liked her, it's a pity we didn't see more of her.
Not what you'd expect
This was a movie full of unexpected turns. Not only did three of the main characters get killed off during the course of the movie, but we're left with two more at the end possibly [read:most likely] dying under the rubble. Only Lily appeared to have survived. Most movies don't do that. Movies like to give you 'happy endings'. Like if Rob and Beth would have got out of the city successfully and lived to tell their tale. But Cloverfield didn't do that. It went for the shock ending. I like movies that are brave and dare to do something different. Other unexpected turns came about in much of the storyline itself. Like I mentioned earlier, not knowing what was going to happen next. Cloverfield was a movie where you really did expect the unexpected.
Wut? No plot?
A lot of the criticism I've heard about this movie is a lack of storyline or plot. Ironically, I'm usually a person who likes a good storyline over a bunch of action. But with Cloverfield it was different. There was the 'underlying' story of Rob and Beth, although that was generally secondary to the main point of the movie. The first time I didn't think too much of the love part of it, but after a couple of more screenings, I thought it was sweet ... I guess it's the romantic side of me. XD It also allowed the movie to have a little more to it than just trying to get out of the city. By deciding to try and rescue Beth, Rob had a goal and he wasn't going to let anything get in his way in regards to it. Although in a way the movie didn't have much of a plot compared to many movies, I really don't think it needed one. I think having an in-depth plot would have taken away from the focus of the movie. Instead we are left with lots of questions.
Asking for more
Which is my final point I'll make in my review and the final reason why I find I like Cloverfield so much. It leaves you asking for so much. It's like a season of Lost back-to-back. There's so many unanswered questions and so many possibilities for a sequel. Of course some of these questions may be answered in the online information that I'm going to be delving into soon. As soon as the movie finished, I was asking my partner about things and then later that day when I got home, me and my brother started talking about it. Is the monster still alive? Where did it come from? Is it intelligent? Why is it there? Did anyone survive? What happened to Marlena, was it more than just a bit? The list went on and on.
One complaint
Of course there is one complaint I have ... and that's the shortness of it. I really would have liked to see the movie go for a bit longer. I don't mean a drawn out 2 hour plus movie, but maybe an additional 10 or 20 minutes might have just allowed for a little bit more.
So from a movie I wasn't sure I wanted to see, I've become in love with it. Each time I see it, I notice more and more things about it. I haven't been into a movie like this for a very long time [not since Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, although that was kind of for different reasons because I am a big Final Fantasy fan]. Even going back again doesn't detract from it, although the first time was still the most impressive. I'm glad that I didn't decide not to see it on opening day a couple of weeks ago. I might have listened to those people who said it wasn't very good and not gone to see it. I know this sounds like a lot, but to me Cloverfield is one of my favorite movies of all time. I look forward to a sequel, and until then, will go a few more times to see it in the cinema, and begin to delve into the associated mysteries of it all through the viral media form.
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*phew* That's one long review. I hope I don't bore anyone! Positive or negative feedback is welcome [actually I hope I get some feedback, as it's my first review like this so I'd like to know how I went]. Thank you in advance taking your time out to read this.
Summoner Yuna...