Day 44: Cloverfield (2008, Dir. Matt Reeves)
There was a lot of hype surrounding this film upon its initial release, drawing upon the visual flair popularised by films such as The Blair Witch Project and REC and putting it into a big monster movie, and it is an endeavour that pays off.
It is very easy to call this movie a Post 9/11 Godzilla or a mainstream REC and dismiss its creative flair as a gimmick, making the audience feel sick instead of giving them a gripping story. From a technical perspective this film is partly an experiment into the effectiveness of new technologies of a big entertainment; which again is nothing particularly new. We are not only very familiar with this technique of filmmaking, from news reports to an array of feature films but that is not to say it doesn’t deliver too; with constant fear, excitement and mystery being pumped into the narrative. The film is truly like a roller coaster feeling as though you are being flung around and put through the mill at every chance which at times makes the film difficult to watch but ultimately is what keeps you hooked, the hope to learn more, see the monster and unravel the mystery.
Of course it’s hard not to watch practically any sequence in this movie without comparing it to the terrorist attacks of September the 11th. From the initial attacks itself and the onslaught of fear and unknowing that lies around every turn. Perhaps most poignantly are the moments of emotion relating to the attacks such as when Rob receives the phone call from his mother. This perhaps makes up for some of the other dull characterisation at the beginning of the film.
Nauseating, brutal and bloody brilliant too.
7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1060277/
Extra: What would they do with a sequel to this?
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