7 reviews

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Andrea Hopkins March 11, 2009

I've just watched this on dvd. Does anyone know why it is called 'Cloverfield?'

One of the most important (not "best") movies in a long, long time. See at least once.

Ult-R 26 Feb 2008

Fresh, clever, relentless, scary and extremely well done. Engaging characters, extremely realistic. And the conceit of having it all recorded by one of the characters works really well. If you need everything clearly set out on a plate for you, you may sulk at this film for demanding your engagement. Otherwise, go see.

Ian 25 Feb 2008

I cannot agree with the disparaging comments below. This is an excellent take on the monster attack movie genre. Sure, the movie re-treads some old ground, but that is the whole point. We've all seen monster movies where the brilliant scientist solves the mystery of the beast's origins and the square-jawed military hero blows it away. The movie-makers know this. They don't need to join up all the dots, because we can do it ourselves. What is left is a film that presents all the cliches, but then gets behind them by showing us all the things that happen to the people who aren't scientists or heroes. A lot of fun, some genuine thrills, and definitely worth catching on the big screen to get the full effect of the director's vision.

Laidback 21 Feb 2008

A very good first person shooter computer game in the form of a film. Entertaining but wouldn't watch it again, much like many computer games...

Big M 18 Feb 2008

Motion sickness. I haven’t had motion sickness since I went mackerel fishing off the coast of Fife in choppy waters in 1991. The problem with motion sickness is it ain’t an aesthetic response, it’s a physiological one, and that’s no way to treat an audience. When I wasn’t feeling dizzy this movie looked like every cliché going: the glamorati of New York, all gilded stubble, are having a farewell party for their most stubbled friend. Hint: he’s the lead ’coz he’s got the most stubble and the nicest teeth. Just when he realizes he’s screwed up with the one girl who matters to him in life – and says it out loud to his brother – the monster attacks. Who would have thought it would wait for precisely that moment in the dialogue to attack, huh? There was an obvious – manipulative – effort to make us care about these characters and their world with the strained parallel of a 9/11 swirl of dust and vague mutterings of ‘Is it terrorists?’ in response to the initial shock. Before the attack I’d been wanting the movie proper to start, as the parties of the idly boring filmed in glorious jitter-cam are not my idea of a good night out. Unfortunately the cloud of dust which blew over the severed head of the Statue of Liberty blew a further tank-load of clichés in to town, and, worse, even more jittery camera work which was when the motion sickness began. Anyway, it’s ok, it’s not terrorists, it’s NY’s most feared enemy: a CGI version of a man in a monster suit. Run! Scream! Emote! Dodge the military! Don’t go in to the tunnel, kids. Don’t go in to the tunnel. Look out! Ooh! She’s been bitten by those creatures they’ve bought in from that other movie: she’s going to – oh my god! she just exploded. Did you see that? She just exploded in silhouette behind that curtain! Yuck. Gross. After that my brain stopped working, but the director’s had stopped long before.

JCM 16 Feb 2008

What happens when you put Godzilla, War of the Worlds, Blair Witch Project and a teen flick into a blender? The result - a vey poor movie smoothie that leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. Sure there are big effects but nothing we havent seen before. Poor acting, bad script and a lack of real direction. I had more fun looking at my popcorn. Avoid like animal droppings on the pavement.

shaggy 13 Feb 2008