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