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Cloverfield Blu-ray
Posted by Kingstar on 4:22 AM
In the best way possible, the long-awaited, shrouded-in-mystery monster movie Cloverfield is basically an anthology of bad decisions. Like many of the best science fiction and horror films, director Matt Reeves' handicam chronicle of New York's destruction at the hands of an oversized creature features a litany of choices -- some by the characters, some by the filmmakers -- that audiences will debate and disagree over. But while the emotional and creative underpinnings for specific developments and digressions in the film remain uncertain, their effectiveness is undeniable, making Cloverfield an engaging thriller that should thoroughly satisfy genre fans during a time of year when their choices are essentially between bad and worse.
The plot is fairly straightforward -- a gigantic monster attacks New York -- but the players are what keep this thrill ride tethered to its rails. Newcomer Michael Stahl-David plays Rob, a successful twentysomething about to depart for Japan to start a new job. Mike Vogel (Poseidon) plays his brother Jason, who enlists his own girlfriend Lily (Jessica Lucas) and Rob's best friend Hud (T.J. Miller) to throw him a going-away party, including documenting every minute with a digital camcorder. Lizzy Caplan (Freaks and Geeks) plays Marlena, a partygoer Hud pines for while he films testimonials from the various attendees. And Odette Yustman (Walk Hard) plays Rob's crush Beth, whom he sets out to find after the monster destroys the city.
Additionally, there is an extra and perhaps expected layer of discomfort given that the film takes place in post-9/11 New York, but Goddard and Reeves are careful to avoid exploiting real tragedies for their imagined one. Even with an abundance of wider shots of the destroyed city (don't ask how they got them), Reeves focuses on more of the sci-fi mayhem than the human toll. That said, he and Goddard do a terrific job elevating the pulpy framework of a monster attack to something more dramatic and evocative. In particular Rob's rescue of Beth is at once romantic and unpretentious, but the losses the group suffers are captured with enough sensitivity that we never feel like we're merely counting bodies.
In short, Cloverfield is the best kind of blockbuster -- one wired both for thinking people and thrill seekers -- which is why, even if you don't agree with what the characters or filmmakers do, you'll likely be happy with your own decision to see the film.