Cloverfield (2008)

	Directed by: Matt Reeves	COUNTRY USA GENRE Thriller NORWEGIAN TITLE Cloverfield RUNNING TIME 85 minutes
	Produced by: J. J. Abrams Bryan Burk
	Written by: Drew Goddard

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Marlena Diamond	Lizzy Caplan
Lily Ford	Jessica Lucas
Hud Platt	T. J. Miller
Rob Hawkins	Michael Stahl-David
Jason Hawkins	Mike Vogel	½
Beth McIntyre	Odette Yustman	½

Review

The found footage approach was introduced by the technically though not narratively creative filmmaking team of Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez with The Blair Witch Project. Nine years later, the same fidgety first-person tactic is adapted to the monster movie, not surprisingly boasting many of the same strengths and weaknesses as its aforementioned role model. Considering the clever marketing for the film, the purpose obviously was to evoke as realistic a sense as possible, and granted, the initial effect is that of an immediate and seemingly authentic documentary feel. The dialogue between the youngsters is believable and largely fresh, and there also is some offhand humour that only very rarely comes off as tawdry stand-up jokes (which counts for something in this sub-genre). Still, the uneasy camerawork gradually becomes exhaustive and counterproductive; it keeps the characters and their situations at a distance. Perhaps the reason people go to the cinema instead of watching their neighbours' home videos is that there is a difference in emotional impact between these two narrative techniques. Cloverfield thus runs into many of the same problems as The Blair Witch Project did.

The attack on the city of New York and the events that subsequently unfold are impressively well handled and executed. The action is Cloverfield's by far best asset, and there are some outright electrifying scenes. Of course, like in most monster films, there's also an all too familiar-looking monster as well as characters showing a remarkable selflessness, but the suspense never lets up – and that's a tribute to the director. I neither think nor hope the Cloverfield approach will become predominant in filmmaking, but if nothing else, it's refreshing to experience new angles – well, almost new angles.