From J.J. Abrams, the extraordinary talent that brought us Lost and director Matt Reeves comes CLOVERFIELD, one of the most terrifying, groundbreaking and critically acclaimed thrillers to hit the big screen in 2008, available on DVD from June 9 2008. On the eve of his departure for Japan, Rob (newcomer Michael Stahl-David) sees his going-away party as an opportunity to confess unresolved feelings and tie up loose ends. However, his agenda takes an unexpected turn when a jolt shakes the revellers. The crowd quiets down to watch news reports of an earthquake, then rushes to the roof to assess the damage. A fireball explodes on the distant horizon. A power failure follows. Confusion gives way to panic as the partygoers stumble through the blackout and into the streets. Shot entirely through the group’s camcorder, the shaky camera action further heightens the sense of terror as the six young friends attempt to stay one step ahead of an unknown – and seemingly unstoppable – force that is rampaging its way through New York City. CLOVERFIELD is an exhilarating movie experience that will leave you on the edge of your seat as you get drawn into this spine-tingling action thriller. The two disc Special Edition is jam packed with over 2 hours of bonus materials including ‘Alternative Endings’, ‘The Making of Cloverfield’, ‘Cloverfield Visual Effects’ and commentary from Director Matt Reeves, making CLOVERFIELD a must have for any thrill-seeking movie fans this summer.
No-one has rated this movie yet - be the first! You must be logged in to rate a movie.
"terrifyingly realistic with the camera movements"
Cloverfield is an original and fresh idea. It's Blair Witch Project meets Independence Day. But it's done with style, heart, and a surprising amount of substance. While The Blair Witch Project featured annoying people screaming at each other, this film actually made me care about the characters, thanks to the romantic drama tone established during the first half hour. The cast, which is comprised of mostly no-name actors, pulls off a collaboratively believable performance. Every actor in the film helps sustain the illusion that this is real footage from the night, and that they are being completely natural on-camera. Of course, "Cloverfield," produced by "Lost" creator J.J. Abrams, is a much more ambitious undertaking, using all of Manhattan as a playground of destruction. It starts off in a upmarket loft where they hold a going away party for Rob, who is leaving for Japan. The party is being documented with a hand-held video camera by Rob's best friend, Hud. The party is disrupted by what they think is an earthquake. That's when the fun really starts.
This film was quite an experience. I don't think that fans will be disappointed; I wasn't. I won't say much about the film itself since that is half of the hype, but I will say this: The film was very well done and kept me involved with what was happening. It was terrifyingly realistic with the camera movements, and that may make some viewers sick to their stomachs. I personally thought the cinematography added a lot to the film.
The thrilling visual and sound effects wowed me (there were a few times when my eyes closed and my jaw dropped). Any sci-fi film will also benefit from a sense of entrapment and this film pulls off the seemingly impossible challenge of making New York City seem claustrophobic because there was nowhere to hide. Simply put, the film is an amazingly visceral experience. It's studio logo, production logo, film. No credits whatsoever, which just adds to the overall immediacy of it.
I do have a few concerns, most commonly 'why is he still filming'? and how are the girls running in high heels! Beware those who need need to have every loose end tied up. Spoiler (Apparently the camera battery will last forever with no replacing or recharging, while further powering attachments for any situation that is called for - an incandescent light, night-vision mode, etc. It also gets dropped numerous times, and nuked at the end. Wow!) Above all, I thought it was a tremendously original piece of cinema...my final thought... what happened next?
