Review: Cloverfield

I often try to distinguish between movies and film, the first being a "waste a couple of hours and have a good time" thing, and the latter being a "makes you think and ponder the nature of humanity" sort of thing. For example: Die Hard is a movie, while The Departed is a film. A movie can make you think, and a film can be fun, but the intent is really what matters.

I would classify Cloverfield as neither however. It an experience. It begins with the statement that the footage was found, and what you see for the next hour and a half is "unedited" documentation of the events. I won't go into these events, but I will say that, once the action picks up, it doesn't slow down.

In order for the movie to be enjoyed, it needs to be enjoyed as-is. Because it's based on one perspective, we know what the characters know. If you need complete and total closure on all of the questions raised, you'll probably be disappointed. And it is filmed with a shaky-cam quality (think Blair Witch), but you quickly get used to it.

But, at the end of the day, it's a monster movie. Is the monster cool? Oh yeah. There are times when the camera guy, while being close to the monster, isn't filming him. I made a pact with Brandon that, should we find ourselves attacked by some gigantic monster from beyond, that whoever has a camera should film it, and not our friend hiding behind a car across the street. But the monster, along with some hangers-on, is savage, scary, and definitely cool.