I worry sometimes that we’re overthinking things, that ultimately we think every single thing we do has to be imbued with some deep personal truth or search for meaning, and that if we ever get to the point where we analyze everything, then we will go truly mad. After seeing Cloverfield, I heard a lot of people asking “what did it all mean?” But you see, when I walked out of the movie theater, my mind wasn’t ablaze with the desire to find out what greater message Cloverfield had on the human condition.
Instead, I was happy. A smile split my face from ear to ear, and the adrenaline rush split the rest of me. My knuckles were white from clenched fists. I was excited. I was thrilled.
And you can be too.
But before I get too far ahead of myself, I’d like to first clear up a misconception I’ve been hearing since the movie’s release. Cloverfield is not –as in really, really not — a Godzilla movie. At all. Please stop saying that. It has nothing to do with Toho Company’s daikaiju (giant monster) film series, running strong though it has for over 50 years. If you have seen a Godzilla movie, good for you. But that has nothing to do with Cloverfield.
Cloverfield, shot entirely by a digital handycam, is the story of six friends in New York City who are throwing a going away party for their friend Rob. The responsibility of documenting this event is given to a lovable goofball named Hud, who provides the film’s source of commentary and humor as he tries to keep the camera steady. During the party — and after an altercation between Rob and the love of his life, Beth — a massive explosion goes off in the heart of Manhattan. From there the friends are doing their best to stay alive and sane as they try to escape the city. All the while, the audience is subjected to closer and closer peeks at a giant creature the Department of Defense dubs “Cloverfield.”
Is it an alien? A government experiment? The result of some nuclear incident? Nature gone awry?
These are not questions you should expect to get answered. If you want to find out what Cloverfield is you can go to cloverfieldclues.blogspot.com and try to piece it together. This story is just about a few friends, and there’s really no logical way to go into some long explanation in this film. These aren’t freedom fighters or heroes we’re dealing with, they’re just people. People who want to live.
Its Blair Witch Project-style of cinematography is one of the many things that give this film an edge. Cloverfield pulls you expertly along into its world, keeping you at an even keel of tension, excitement and tragedy without ever completely wearing you out or overloading you.
It also has these very beautiful scenes from what was recorded on the tape before Rob’s brother Jason turns the camera on, and they give the film a poignancy you so rarely get from suspense films.
For the full effect you must see this film on the big screen, and that may be my main problem with this movie. Replayability. After another couple months, it’ll be gone and then on DVD, and I just can’t see how I’ll ever be able to recapture that childlike mix of fear and glee when I was sitting there, in the theatre, in my chair, feet on my seat and forgetting to breathe.
Here’s my take. This movie is extremely fun and exciting, some of the most fun I’ve had watching a movie in years. I was utterly immersed. You may not be, as this film is very hit-or-miss with people, but I don’t care. I’ll treasure my memories of Cloverfield as one of the reasons I go to films. To have undeniable, complete and absolute fun.