Cloverfield Nearly Made Me Puke

Review by Mike Heronime

Last Saturday, we drove from Dallas to Denton (about a 40 minute drive) to cruise the campus (UNT), have dinner, and catch a movie.  We were pretty intent on seeing Cloverfield having exchanged Cloverfield for the Bucket List the night before. Given all that we were trying to accomplish during our Denton trek, its no wonder that we ended up at the movie theater with no time to spare.  The guy at the ticket counter warned us that the movie was pretty full and that we would likely have to sit in one of the front rows.  And as he put it, "it might make us throw up."

It was at this point that I realized two things: Cloverfield was going to be an experience that I was not entirely prepared for.  And Mexican food for dinner was a bad idea.  Luckily we were able to score a couple of seats together in the middle of the theater after sheepishly asking a few people to move closer together to make room for us.  Good thing too.  I'm not a squeamish person but after sitting through J.J. Abrams answer to the question, "What happens when the Blair Witch Meets Godzilla," I was pretty happy that I wasn't sitting in the front row.

By now, you've probably heard about the unorthodox approach taken by the Cloverfield creative crew in filming their monster movie.  From beginning to end, the audience experiences the entire film through the lens of a hand held video camera being shared by a small circle of friends.  These friends are enjoying a fun -- if not overly typical -- going away party for one of their group when the Manhattan apartment they are rockin' starts shaking violently.  Rushing to the roof they begin to witness the spectacle of an exploding Manhattan. 

For the next hour and half, this group of friends rushes outside where they nearly get creamed with the head of the Statue of Liberty, try to leave Manhattan on the Brooklyn Bridge where they lose one of their friends to a giant tentacle or tail that smashed the bridge to pieces, attempt to escape through the Subway where they are attacked by monsters, rush to a stranded friend's aid in a collapsing skyscraper, and fly out of town (or almost out of town) in an open helicopter.  All along the way, we're treated to glimpses of a giant monster on a mindless rampage.

This movie risks a lot by taking such an unconventional approach to what would typically be a summer blockbuster type action movie.  And I think their risk pays off.  From watching this movie, you get the feeling that you now know what it would REALLY be like if you were in a city when it was attacked by Godzilla or King Kong.  Thankfully, this level of reality was never spoiled by attempts to explain the origins of the monster or long involved plans to destroy the monster.  Just the simple human reaction to crisis and the need to survive.

Best of all, the movie ends the way a horror movie should end -- unhappily. 

If you've ever wondered what it would be like to be trapped in a subway with the son of Rodan, be sure to check out Cloverfield before it comes out on DVD.  This is definitely a flick for the big screen.  And if you're really adventurous, be sure to take a seat in the front row.

Enjoy.