It started in the summer. I was sitting in the theatre waiting to watch a little movie. You may have heard of it. It was called Transformers. I was giddy as a school boy cause I was about to relive my childhood where Optimus Prime would transform from a Mack truck into the battle-ready, Megatron-kicking leader of the Autobots. I could barely contain myself. As the lights dimmed I prepared for the two hour plus ass kicking of giants robots blowing shit up.
I had no idea what I was in for.
As crappy Coke commercials gave way to actually trailers (remember the days when there weren’t commercials in front of movies? Those days I sorely miss.) I had no idea what lay ahead. Up popped what looked like some lo-fi inde film about some youngsters sending off their friend to Japan or something. This was an odd choice to start with I thought to myself, but I totally dug it. Then, the power went out. And everyone in the theatre was like “wtf mate?” Very soon these same 20-somethings were rushing to the rooftop with their videocam POV.
And then a building exploded. The audience literally flipped.
As the hipsters ran down the stairs and out the building, whispers rushed along the crowd. What the hell were we watching? As we moved to the streets, there was an explosion in the distance. Then the statue of liberty head landed in the middle of the street.
The audience flipped.
I turned to my friend. If this was the new Godzillia, I was sooooo there. The words flashed on the screen.
From producer J.J. Abrams.
The Lost guy?
01-18-08.
And then black. No title.
Nothing.
My mind was racing. What had I just seen? I wanted to know. A monster movie from a found-footage POV interested the hell out of me. It was so good; it made me forget that I was about to see Transformers. Giant fucking robots blowing shit up! I forgot I was going to see my childhood on the screen.
This was my first experience with the marketing phenomenon known as Cloverfield.
On the drive home, it wasn’t Optimus Prime and Bumblebee we were talking about it, it was what was that no named movie. I said anything by the creator of Lost and Alias is worth a look to me. We made a pact we see it as soon as it came out.
I went home, hopped on yea old internet and discovered that it wasn’t directed by J.J only produced, this guy named Matt Reeves was in the chair. And it was written by Drew Goddard, who I knew from Lost, and that was good in my book.
Friends thought I was crazy. Blairwitch Godzillia? Come on! But I maintained that if it was executed with half of the intelligence as that trailer, I would be set. In my heart I’m as down for a good monster movie as I am two people having deep conversations over coffee.
So fast forward to opening weekend, I’m in a packed theatre about to see this film. Does it work?
Oh yes it does! Cloverfield carries its gimmick through all the way. What we are supposedly watching is footage from a camera found in what was once Central Park. Reeves and Goddard get around the narrative conceits in some truly nice ways.
The first twenty minutes play out like an extended version of the trailer, as we get to know our cast at this farewell party. But once the power goes out we very quickly start coming down the other side of the rollercoaster.
One of the many smart things the film does is make the “camera man” Hud, a true character in the piece even though he is rarely glimpsed on screen. It is literally Hud’s eyes through which we watch this film and his quips and insight ground the outrageous situation. Now yes, there are times when Hud films when no one else would. He also proves to be remarkably steady in a key juncture in the film, a situation where you’d expect him to be anything but, and he’s steady as a rock. And they magically find a riff in the space time subway continuum that allows them to take a 6 train and end up in Columbus Circle. Do I care? Not in the least. If this was reality a monster wouldn’t be attacking the City. This is a semblance of reality. The one scene that really hit home was just after the Statue of Liberty head gets thrown into the streets we see people taking pictures of it with their cellphones. Let me tell you. I was in the city when the steampipe exploded back in the summer, and people were doing the same thing. I know. I was one of them. That little tidbit is so inherently "real." I love it. If something like this attacked New York, this is what it would look like.
Now some have cried foul about the 9/11-ish imagery of the film. And yes, it does help solidify the thisisreallyhappening feeling. Some feel that this is disrespectful and abusive. Well as a New Yorker, I for one, do not. It’s been a while since the attacks, and with no disrespect for the families, Cloverfield never uses the evocative imagery to pull your heartstrings.
Cloverfield is complete escapism. And smart one at that. I mean other than the utterly dumb device of trying to save a friend who’s in the middle of the monsters warpath, it completely clicks for me. And honestly, in the right mindset, I might be crazy enough to attempt that rescue myself. The love story works for me. Tons of men have done crazy things for love. Sometimes, to quote Good Will Hunting, you just "have to go see about a girl.” Just maybe not when a creature is destroying midtown and spider things from Starship Troopers are running amok(sidenote, Phil Tippet the man who made dinosaurs walk the earth in Jurrasic Park & insects crawl in Troopers had a hand in this. So its appropriate.) But really people, if they just turn tail and ran, there would be no movie. It would be a half hour film. Its already Seventy minutes (eat that!) how much shorter do you want it to be?
So do you see the monster? Well, yes and no, you get enough to get you worried, and then feel it throughout the rest. Not to worry, they give you the money shot. Boy do they ever. The effects work on this film is great, keeping it jiving with the insane world we are watching.
I’ve also heard people nitpick the characters. Or as some have put it, the lack there of. People, I don’t know about you, but I came to see a monster movie, not Squid and the Whale (which I love, but for example sake) okay? Lets see here. What’s on the movie monster checklist? Monster? Check. Scares? Check. People to fight and escape the monster? Check. Army? Check. Explosions? Check. Where did I lose you? The leads are flushed out enough in the exposition heavy opener to get you to feel enough for them. I know all I need to know. Many have griped that they are following “a bunch of white pretty rich kids.” Well, I don’t know about you, but I can’t exactly afford to live in the middle of Manhattan. But you know who can? Rich, pretty white kids. And Woody Allen. Don’t turn this into revenge on the yuppies; Its not.
Cloverfield is a film you either dig it or you don’t. Me, I dig it. I think it’s the best kind of thrill ride, short, smart and sweet. It’s exactly what it should be and knows when to end. Great job by all involved. It deserves all the money its making and more. This a true theatre movie, to be seen big, loud, and with as many people as possible. This type of film is the reason going to the cinema is an event, an experience. And oh you should savor this larger than life. Count this as my first favorite film of the year. It’s sure to be a cult hit for years to come. I really loved it, but then again, there was no doubt.
They had me at Transformers.
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