Film Review: Realism, sense of urgency propels ‘Cloverfield’

Buckle up and hold on tight for an intense ride.

Producer J.J. Abrams’ buzz-building “Cloverfield” arrived this January with all engines firing. This is arguably because of an advertising campaign that started as early as last July. The flick is a complete re-imagining of the old monster-movie genre.

Abrams’ latest piece of bravura entertainment has been aptly described as “The Blair Witch Project” meets “Godzilla.” However, boiling “Cloverfield” down to that weak comparison does it a disservice.

Everything about the movie – from the limited sightings of the beast that levels New York to the obviously scripted but smart and humorous dialogue throughout – is a step up from both those movies.

Filmed entirely on a hand-held camcorder (opening credits indicate the tape was found in Central Park), the movie begins by showing two different but related events. The first scene shows Rob, one of the flick’s main characters, filming his girlfriend Beth with a recently purchased camcorder. A couple minutes into the footage, the tape switches to an event that takes place a month later – Rob’s going-away party.

The movie sporadically and effectively switches between the two story lines. The very last scene in particular is moving.

Rob’s party scene might seem prolonged – it lasts for at least 20 minutes before the beast’s attack occurs. It still does two things exceptionally well.

Most importantly, the scene allows for the introduction of the half-a-dozen characters with whom we’ll be spending a good portion of the movie.

The scene also establishes a style of humor for the rest of the film. Throughout the scene, writer Drew Goddard injects some well-earned bits of comedy, getting laughs from seemingly unfunny situations simply by making everything seem so realistic. There is no doubt most of this comes from the type of camera used, but Goddard should get some credit.

The writer’s laid-back-yet-pertinent dialogue moves the film at a decent and sometimes breakneck pace. An unidentified “Some Thing” eventually interrupts the party, from where the group of tight-knit friends attempts to escape the city with life and limb intact.

Where the genius of “Cloverfield” comes into play – yes, I said genius – is in its insistence on using the mantra, “Less is more.” For most of the film, the monster attacking the city is only shown a bit at a time. Whether it appears as a limited sighting in between buildings or on a local television station, the creature decimating New York is as visible to the audience as it is to the movie’s characters.

This limited knowledge, along with a 100-percent-first-person perspective, adds to the film’s intensity. Interestingly enough, some critics argue that same intensity, filmed the way it is, might seem more fitting for television. Personally, I can’t imagine watching “Cloverfield” on anything other than a big screen. The effect just wouldn’t be the same.

With his movie filmed on a relatively small budget of $25 million, director Matt Reeves is still able to incorporate some spectacular special effects. An exciting scene set on the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the most exhilarating in recent history and utilizes the first-person angle brilliantly.

It is on the bridge where our small, insignificant
band of characters
gets caught in the middle of a furious firefight between the mysterious monster and scores of infantry. The fear and intensity are almost palpable.

Even the acting is above average. Everyone
in the cast is a relative unknown – most have only been in television shows, and sparsely at that. But they step up to the plate, showing real talent and conveying real fear.

“Cloverfield” is the brainchild of Abrams, the creator of “Lost.” Abrams, like everyone else, is aware of the YouTube.com era in which we live. Abrams has an understanding of this generation’s insistence on capturing everything in one medium or another. It is this understanding that makes the film not just a commentary on our times but also an exciting and informative 21st century answer to an age-old question – what if?

Grade: A

“Cloverfield” is rated PG-13 for violence, terror and disturbing images. Its running time is 84 minutes.