I had to do it.... my take on "Cloverfield"

It's roughly 1:30am and I just waltzed in the door still shaking from the cold, but also shaking a little from what I just saw. Cloverfield, the new JJ Abrams monster flick that is shot by a hand held camera by basically one character giving it that "Blair Witch" look. Please people, I better not see anyone trying to even vaguely compare this movie to the Blair Witch Project. They're two totally different worlds apart.
The story starts with a surprise party and moves right into disaster as New York, more specifically Manhattan, is attacked by a giant monster from the sea (apparently), dropping spider like miniatures of itself that attack people while it destroys buildings. While there isn't much explanation to what's happening you don't need it at all. The visuals give you most of the understanding until the end when most of the meaningful dialogue takes place. Exciting and creative! A rare find amidst the One Missed Call and Turistas era we live in!
What I believe I liked most about the movie is the love plot between Rob and Elizabeth. You only get glimpses of it at the start but it ultimately consumes the film while still leaving you breathless at the chaos surrounding it. The only problem I have with this movie isn't a problem at all. The ending is one of those that leaves you to your own conclusions but it's pretty evident what happens. Although, I wish I could have some sort of closure with the main character Rob and his love interest Elizabeth. I guess there theoretically is closure but you gotta see it yourself to decide.
Even with a shaky camera distorting images, explosions, crumbling buildings, people being eaten, rockets and gun fire perforating Manhattan you develop an insanely close connection with Rob and Elizabeth to a point where you don't care if anyone else dies as long as they survive together. I was startled, shaken, amazed, blown away, and more than anything gripped in a way I've never felt before when watching a movie. This film hits you in not so much a realistic way, but a "wow, I can't believe wnat I'm watching and feeling right now" sort of way. Hard to explain. Go see it.

If I had a ranking system I would give it a 10/10. For the reasons that the actors did the best job they could have possibly done acting like what was going on really was, the effects and realism of the movie were balanced perfectly, they threw in lots of comedic lines that actually made you laugh and work with whats happening, and I just haven't been that connected to the characters of a film in a long time like I was with "Cloverfield". Simply awesome.

Stay up.

mr arSen

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