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Cloverfield (2008)

Director: Matt Reeves

Time Out rating

Average user rating

109 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

Six years after 9/11, the spectacular destruction of Manhattan is once again the premise of a Hollywood fantasy, though ‘Cloverfield’ is not your father’s disaster movie. Unaccountable trauma takes the place of scientific rationalisation; partial experience replaces the view from the war room; and the signifiers of the World Trade Center – fireballs, collapsing towers, dust clouds and drifting paper – are everywhere. Whether you find it all cathartic or exploitative is probably a matter of taste.

Following Steven Spielberg’s ‘War of the Worlds’ in presenting an ignorant, panicked, individuated response to armageddon, ‘Cloverfield’ takes that film’s single shot of fantastic carnage captured on a home video camera as its whole aesthetic.

The film is an ersatz relic à la ‘Blair Witch’, the purported contents of a camcorder discovered in the aftermath of a mysterious behemoth’s catastrophic rampage through New York. The camera belongs to Rob (Michael Stahl-David), a twentysomething about to move to Japan; his leaving party takes place on the night of the attack, and we follow his and a few friends’ experiences from dusk to dawn. Footage of an earlier, happier day out punctuatesthe main action.

The film is produced by JJ Abrams and, like ‘Lost’, it leaves the big picture vague while furnishing enough local information to keep the ride compelling. Though not without humour – our cameraman Hud (TJ Miller) provides goofy comic relief – this is at the gruelling end of the disaster movie spectrum, unabashedly mining its 9/11 resonances and neo-vérité grammar to considerable effect. The humans are ultimately pretty disposable, but the monster and the camera are worth attention.

Author: Ben Walters 2008-01-29 17:38:03

Time Out London Issue 1954: Jan 30 to Feb 5

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User reviews of this film

stephanie x said...

Posted on Feb 22 2008 18:58 this film was ok. wasnt brillant wasnt the worst i have ever seen neither. all i wanna say is if you go and see it dont be the one driving :( because the film messes with your eyesight. and you think its fine sat down but when you stand up to walk out its really wierd...trust me! me and my fiance resorted to paper rock scissors HEHE! i won! but apart from that it is as i first said .. OK.. let me know what others think :) stephanie x

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Chel said...

Posted on Feb 22 2008 18:29 I enjoyed it myself, tis an interesting watch. Those who comment saying things such as 'whats the point' the ending was crap', have a rather closed minded view on movies -- this movie gets away to a decent degree, from the typical --disaster, hero saves the day, big fight with a bad guy and gets the girl at the end as they fly off into the sunset--. If you like such things, this isn't for you, but if you do like to get away from predictable, overly scripted, regurgitated, repetative typical hollywood shite, you might find it a good watch ;) if a movie is pointless because its not overtly hollywood, then theres no point in film at all.

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her.. said...

Posted on Feb 21 2008 22:40 this film was SHITE..!!! boring at the end..no story line.. and looked like someone at home decided to try and make a movie

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Ke said...

Posted on Feb 21 2008 21:47 I don't know if it's just me. But I think it is the most unpleasant cinematic experience I have ever had. It takes an astronaut to actually enjoy it.

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henry said...

Posted on Feb 21 2008 14:00 Gr8 films dont come much better than this although i think the end was rather poor the start was amazing, the concept portrayed very well. Advertising was very good, could easily be the best film of the year

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Colin said...

Posted on Feb 21 2008 08:23 Yes it is like Godzilla meets the Blair Witch, but with bells on. Just as you think it is probably going to be the most boring film yet, bang, you are on the edge of your seat for the rest of it. Brilliant.

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Simon Caleb said...

Posted on Feb 21 2008 02:33 Little surprise this has divided audiences. It's far too cutting edge for mainstream auds. The most refreshing angle this contemporary take on Godzilla has up its sleeve is making the audience pay attention for the details. Highly rewarding monster bash, for those looking for an Earth shaking spin on an age old tale. Bring on the sequel!

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Lil Joe said...

Posted on Feb 20 2008 09:27 This film i9s crap!!!

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Dan said...

Posted on Feb 19 2008 19:28 Nuff said...

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robert said...

Posted on Feb 19 2008 11:57 THIS FILM WAS OKAY IF YOU LIKE SEEING THINGS THROUGH A SHAKEY CAMERA NOT MUCH OF A STORY LINE BUT EFFECTS WERE OKAY BEGINING WAS A BIT BORING

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Gerry said...

Posted on Feb 19 2008 09:52 pure pish

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Lisa said...

Posted on Feb 18 2008 21:53 I thought this was fantastic. I really felt like i was watching someones home movie and i sat open mouthed in shock for most of it.
Yes, ok, the way it's filmed with the shaky camera could get annoying at points but then if you know this movie was filmed in this was and it was going to irritate you then why would you go and see it?
I highly reccomend this film, i'd certainly pay to go and see it a second time..... and i may just do that!

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Em said...

Posted on Feb 18 2008 16:35 Worst film I've ever watched.... not just boring but actually unpleasant :( It was like an endurance test, wobbly camera action accompanied by white noise... and I have to leave to vomit!!

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Adrian Hart said...

Posted on Feb 18 2008 07:15 Godzilla on camcorder is all i can call this. Yes it comes from a unique perspective and great effects but very dissapointing.as a film.

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kiran said...

Posted on Feb 17 2008 18:58 this movies is the crap est movie of the year ,what was the aim of the movie , the whole movie was on digital camera n was so irritating, i will never watch this movie ..

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