TCH News

Issue date: 1/29/08 Section: Entertainment

I really, really wanted to write a review about the recently-released "Cloverfield," but when I sat down to write it nothing came. I have never before seen a movie that left me so unsure of my feelings towards it. I am a sci-fi fan (nerd is much too harsh in my opinion) and when I first saw the trailer, which tactfully gave just a release date and no title, I knew I would have to see it.

For those of you in the dark, "Cloverfield" is about a monster that attacks Manhattan. You follow a small group of 20-somethings, who were all at a going-away party for main character Rob. They try to figure out what is going on and attempt to escape NY and survive. Oh, they also have to save Rob's not-really-girlfriend Beth, who is trapped in her apartment.

Filmed "Blair Witch" style, "Cloverfield" lets the audience know a little more than what the characters know. Viewers learn that the footage they are about to watch was found at an "incident site" formerly-yes, formerly-known as Central Park.

Now, for the pros and cons of the film. I do not get motion sickness. As a result, I actually enjoyed seeing things from the cameraman's point of view. It made me feel like I was with the characters and part of the action. I also liked the fact that because there aren't any known actors in the film, we are uncertain who will live or die.

The run time was under an hour and a half. In a world where every movie feels like three hours, this is nice. The CGI, most of the time, looked fantastic too.

However, nothing is ever explained in the film, and that irks me. There are plot holes the size of Manhattan. In a way, it unfolds like a home movie. The fact that there really is no plot and/or character development is also irritating to me, but then again that's a characteristic of a "home movie."

The most disappointing aspect of the film for me was the monster. I won't describe it, for those who want to see the film. However, I can assert that its "babies" were scarier their mom.

Nevertheless, I liked "Cloverfield." It is a fun, popcorn movie, heightened by characters who seem like they just stepped off a Myspace page. I do not think the film is worth a regularly priced $10 ticket, but it's worth a $7 matinee ticket. The quick bursts of adrenaline I periodically felt made it worth it.

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