| The gigantic monster menace is not as | | | | monster decides to attack Manhattan. |
| widespread in Occident as it is in old Asian legends. | | | | It is very commendable that Matt Reeves, who is |
| First thing I thought about when I saw the | | | | new to this world of directing feature films and as |
| preview of Cloverfield a long time ago was | | | | friend of Abrams as scriptwriter Drew Goddard |
| Godzilla, one of the most recognizable symbols of | | | | (they all have collaborated previously in Abrams |
| Japanese popular culture. Once considered by the | | | | TV-series), keeps the story simple in terms of |
| Japanese people as a metaphor for the United | | | | length. Less than one hour and a half that most |
| States it went all the way from Japan to New | | | | of you will thank for. Mainly because the shaky |
| York City in Godzilla (1994), which is probably one | | | | camera will not go away. Nowadays people like to |
| of the few examples of this kind of cinema to | | | | tie shaky camera to realism. I tie too much shaky |
| the west of the Greenwich Meridian. Second thing | | | | camera to seasickness. Nevertheless, the idea, |
| I thought about when I saw the preview, and the | | | | although not as original as they would have liked |
| well cared for wrapper, was that a hype is usually | | | | (The Blair Witch Project (1999)), works, at least, |
| followed by mediocrity. Is this the case? Is | | | | the first half an hour. Everything is shown through |
| definitely not the case in terms of profit. J. J. | | | | Hudson's camera, and while some will enjoy the |
| Abrams, the guy behind the ropes and the | | | | consequences of that, it will after a while get in |
| director of the still to come Star Trek (2008), is | | | | most's nerves. Thus, most of the action is up to |
| probably rubbing his hands together as I write this | | | | the viewer that will use the shadowed image and |
| and he thinks about how beneficial a just $25 | | | | distorted sound as an adrenaline stimulant as |
| million movie has turned to be. Truth is, cloverfield | | | | effective as he wishes. |
| has been successfully sold as a product ever | | | | To prevent the leaking of information about the |
| since its first presence on the internet, and its | | | | movie the casting process was kept as secretive |
| promotional campaign should certainly be studied | | | | as possible. Judging by the cast performances as |
| by those who sell rather than offer stories. | | | | secretive that no suitable actors were aware of |
| Nevertheless, when I think about what I | | | | it. It is not that they perform badly, it is that |
| experienced in the movie theater, I cannot but go | | | | rather than rescue an already difficult to buy |
| back to the mediocrity term. | | | | script, they help making it even less plausible. To |
| The dispensable and trivial plot is just an excuse. | | | | an extent that I was unwillingly laughing when I |
| Robert Hawkins (Michael Stahl-Davis) is leaving for | | | | was not supposed to, unless I would have |
| good following a promising career in Japan. His | | | | watching a B movie. |
| brother Jason (Mike Vogel) and his brother's | | | | In the end, I left with a peculiar feeling. The feeling |
| girlfriend Lily Ford (Jessica Lucas) throw a going | | | | they had just taken an old B movie and dressed |
| away party for him. Going away party that | | | | up with an up to date fashion outfit that did not |
| Hudson Platt (T. J. Miller) will record with a video | | | | really fit it. I still think better movies of this kind |
| camera for posterity. But when Robert thinks the | | | | can be found to the east of the Greenwich |
| worst that is going to happen that night is seeing | | | | Meridian. And as an example, The Host (2006). |
| the love of his life with a random date a giant | | | | |