DVD

Review - Cloverfield (2008)

Be warned this review does not talk about specifics of the movie at all but more the experience.

God it seems like forever and a half has passed since back when I planted myself down in my local theater for the opening showing of “Transformers”. I always look forward to the trailers; they complete my theater going experience. Without them something always feels like it is missing. I was already excited for “Transformers” without a doubt, and then the trailers started and one thing stood out in my mind, the very last trailer…

The Bad Robot logo appeared, no “The following preview has been approved for all audiences” screen, I didn’t know what was going on. Soon I was thrust automatically into a party, right into the heart of it; without any warning or idea of what was going on, then just like what was going on in the scene in front of me, I was started by the explosion the sound, the chaos and then the head of lady liberty flying through the air, completely destroyed and then just saw “1-18-08”

Initial thoughts… what in gods name just happened.

Second thoughts… I need to see this movie no matter what.

I raced home after the movie and tried to find as much information as I could on this movie. A single Google search later and I was thrust head on into the Viral Marketing for “project Cloverfield” or “1-18-08” or “Monsterous” or it’s many, MANY other names. Over the months following new information slowly leaked out, in perfectly timed chunks here and there – new websites and faked information fleshed out the story no one even knew existed. Slusho, Tagurato, TidoWave, it all weaves together to form the back story that led up to the movie itself.

1-18-08 has come and gone everyone; you’ve read WTFEntertainment and know I’ve been keeping you updated on viral sites for Cloverfield, yet here it is way past opening day and nothing from me… I have a good explanation.

I am a huge monster movie fan – yet they let me down on so many levels with almost every single movie I watch. The hype of Cloverfield made me afraid to actually go see it; I didn’t want to be let down.

With that said I can gleefully state that Cloverfield is quite possibly the most refreshing, exhilarating, and teeth grindingly splendid movie experiences I’ve ever had. From the opening scene to the very last second of the credits I was pulled into this world and lived for 84 minutes in NYC trapped in this situation with these characters.

It has been YEARS since that has ever happened to me while watching a film.

Don’t get me wrong the acting really isn’t spectacular, and I expected to hate every character yet with the chaos and pacing of the film I found myself liking characters that I had nothing in common with and were mildly annoying for a time during the film.

While watching the film it’s hard not to feel the post 9-11 American culture flowing out of every single frame, and in this era of online film and youtube stars the first thing anyone wants to do is leave behind a legacy of what happened so that others can understand why it happened.

Cloverfield isn’t simply a monster film, it’s a complete and total experience of the senses, and you owe yourself to see it.

4.5/5.0

© 2008 WTFEntertainment.