Throwback Thursday Review – Cloverfield (2008)

Cloverfield was one of the biggest mysteries of 2007.  After the first teaser trailer premiered before Transformers, it was a movie that everyone was talking about, with the major question being, “What is running through New York?”

The question has finally been answered.  Cloverfield is one of the most unique and original monster movies I have ever seen.  It has a great style and tension, but the monster and overall movie did not live up to the excellent trailer.

Cloverfield is about a group of New York twentysomethings who try to survive the night when a monster attacks the city, causing mayhem, destruction, and death all over.

If you get motion sickness, you might need breaks every once in awhile during the film.  Going the found footage method, the camera is constantly moving and constantly shaking.  This is one of the few movies that uses the found footage correctly.  It really adds to the movie and you feel what the characters are feeling.  You never know what is coming or what something is and that adds to the tension that is built through out the entire movie.  It also makes the movie very chaotic, which is exactly what the characters are feeling through out.

I was very surprised how connected I was with the characters.  Usually in a monster movie like this, all you want is the monster and mayhem.  And sure, when some of the characters died I didn’t really care, but you’re really pulling for them to survive and find safety from the monster.

And speaking of the monster, as much fun as I had watching this movie, the monster was a complete let down.  I was hoping for something similar to Godzilla, some sort of lizard creature with a menacing yell and some cool power.  Nope, didn’t get that.  The monster in Cloverfield looks like a Sphynx cat with an alien face.  It was kind of a bummer to see this, as the entire time leading up to this movie, everyone was wondering what it is.  Instead of an epic, breathtaking monster, we got this weird thing.  It was kind of like expecting a large amount of fireworks on the Fourth of July and the show actually only being a bottle rocket and two sparklers.

Cloverfield is a blast of a movie to watch.  It’s a loud, fun, chaotic, scary monster flick that is as original and unique as movies get.  The movie slightly collapses on itself towards the end and the monster isn’t what I wanted it to be, but the movie is definitely worth checking out.

MY RATING – 3/4

Did you like Cloverfield?  Are you excited to see 10 Cloverfield Lane?  Comment below or hit me up on Twitter @kevflix.  And make sure to like Kevflix on Facebook by clicking right here.