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For those who don’t know,
“Cloverfield” is the video documentatary
of a unknown attack on
the center of New York. The name
has nothing to do with the content
of the movie—it’s rumored to be
named after a freeway exit of the
same name. But giving credit to
Paramount, every magazine and
paper knew it was a monster flick.
The first clue that it isn’t a run-ofthe-
mill Godzilla spin off is that every
shot is handheld. Five minutes
later, with the same shot still going,
it becomes obvious that there was
only one view—one small perspective
of an epic event.
It starts out as a home video of
a going away party, with a whole
group of people wishing their last
goodbyes to a close friend.
As anyone who’s seen a trailer of
the film would know, suddenly
something happens: an explosion,
loud noises and then silence.
As the explosions start off in the
distance, the party breaks apart,
leaving a small group of people for
the audience to follow. Traveling
through burning streets and military
convoys, the group reaches
a bridge only to have it crushed
and tattered beneath them, with
friends and family below.
And then there were four.
The rest of the film follows their
story of survival and an attempt for
love in the middle of hell on earth.
The best part of the film is the
special effects that have been cut
into a handheld format, matching
the style and exact feel of the camcorder.
The cutting edge attention
to detail made it almost impossible
to distinguish reality from computer
imaging, lending credibility
to the theme of the movie. This
gives the handheld theme an awesome
and engaging technique.
A result of the handheld style is
that it demands constant and edgy
attention. With no ultimate explanation
for anything happening in
the movie, the style pulls you as the
5th wheel to the experience. Right
then, every sudden noise and
movement was grabbed senses,
with the screams and terror echoing
through the theatre.
It helps that the audience never
completely knows what the attacking
creature is, except that it’s big
and scary as hell. The exploding
people and collapsing buildings
are pretty cool to. So, after the wait,
and all the hype—Yes! Cloverfield
is definitely worth ten ducats for a
first-person thrill ride.
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