Cloverfield

I couldn’t think of a witty title for a review of a movie whose name is pretty much random.

I’m also not quite sure how I’m supposed to review a movie whose whole marketing campaign is predicated on the concept of viewers knowing nothing about the movie.

I don’t want to be that person who ruins the fun. I don’t want to be that person who lets it slip that Bruce Willis is a ghost. No one likes that guy.  I promise not to be that guy.

In short, Cloverfield is actually pretty good. Yes, it’s shot from a handicam perspective. Yes, it might make you sick if you’re prone to motion sickness.

Yes, you will be frustrated at times that the camera isn’t pointing in the direction that you want it to. In fact, I found myself trying to turn my head as if the camera was going to magically turn with me.

And that’s really the beauty of Cloverfield. You really feel like you’re in the movie. It’s sorta like one of those 4D rides at theme parks except not sucky.

This movie doesn’t get caught up in exposition and descriptions. There is no need to explain or ponder the situation. It is what it is, and this movie is a chronicle of how a group of specific people deal with it.

You don’t always get to see the action because they don’t always get to see the action. Sometimes the camera is pointing at the ground because the cameraman is scared to death and not really interested in filming what he’s seeing.

But it works. It creates a real sense of tension. Sometimes not seeing the scary thing is actually more frightening than looking it in the eyes (no matter how many it may have).

I really can’t convey exactly how engrossing this film really is. Walking out of the theater almost feels surreal after getting lost in Cloverfield, because you’ll feel like you watched a horrific documentary and that somewhere in the world, the events of Cloverfield really took place.

About the only thing to draw you out of the film is the girls. I’ll accept that a group of friends my have one hottie in the group, but two? Seriously, no one looks that good in real life on their best day, and certainly not as their life is falling to shambles around them.

On the other hand, the acting is pretty good and the fact that we’re dealing with all unknown actors makes the film that much more believable. The reaction to the situation is mostly acceptable.

The thing about Cloverfield, though, is that it’s a one-trick gimmick that keeps you on the edge of your seat for an hour and a half but then promises no more. The movie is so real that you just don’t want to watch it again or think about it. It’s like reliving some horrible accident — no one really wants to do that.

It’s a good movie. It has a unique voice and is more art than it will probably get credit for. Watch it once. Enjoy it. Get lost in it. Then go on your merry way.

Verdict: B+