Saturday, March 12, 2016

10 Cloverfeild Lane Review

Every now and then you'll see a movie that catches you completely off guard. 10 Cloverfield Lane is certainly one of those movies.

Eight years ago, we had a movie named Cloverfield that did moderately well in the box office and we thought that was the end of it. J.J. Abrams thought otherwise and decided to secretly produce a second Cloverfield and release it this year. What was the result?

A woman named Michelle decides to leave her husband and run away. She gets into a car accident and wakes up in an underground bunker, where the owner tells her that the world is now uninhabitable due to a nuclear/chemical attack. But things aren't what they seem as she realizes that it's still dangerous underground.

Going into this one, I had no clue what to expect. After watching it, I'm still not 100% sure what to think about this movie. Let me first make this clear: This is not going to be to everyone's liking. You need to have a specific mindset to view this film.

It caters to those who love suspense, horror, jump scares, and twisted thinking. I love that this movie plays with your mind as you follow this woman in an impossible situation. Abrams keeps the audience wondering if Michelle will make it out alive throughout the entirety of the film. The portrayal of fear is masterfully captured in all three of our main actors.

I do have a couple of minor complaints. For instance, how each character's different, unknown agenda in relation to each other is addressed. It's clear they all ultimately want survival, but how they go about it is radically unique. I don't want to give away spoilers, but personally I think this could've been handled better in simply having those moments teased further until the climax.

Also, certain details remain unaddressed, such as why Michelle left her husband, etc. Granted, details as such don't contribute much to the plot, but it would help the audience better understand the motives of her character. The same goes for John Goodman's character, but I won't spoil it. In short, these minor details aid in character development, which makes the viewer care more about the plight of those onscreen.

A big issue I have with Abrams is that what he excels in build up, he lacks in payoff. If you watched Super 8, then you understand where I'm coming from and can guess what happens in the end. If there's a sequel, I hope the climax is much better.

So overall, if you watched this and you hate it, then I understand why. As I mentioned, this isn't everyone's cup of tea, so that's why I would hesitate to recommend it to everyone. If you love twisted mind games and are okay with a somewhat watered-down ending, then see it. If not, it's at least worth the wait for Redbox or the $4 theatre.

Next Time: The biggest grudge match of the year, Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice.

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