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A look at the monster flick, Cloverfield, highlighting the film for its creativity.
The all-American monster movie may seem to be a figment of the past, but Cloverfield offers a new spin on an old favorite. And even though the concept may be running the Godzilla archetype into the ground, and the medium may seem like a knock-off of The Blair Witch Project, Matt Reeve’s summer blockbuster should be highlighted for the positive as opposed to being condemned for any negatives. The Set UpBeing shot all by handheld camera, the story tells the tale of a group of friends trying to survive a monster attack on Manhattan. As the movie starts, a group of friends are getting together to send off Rob (Michael Stahl-David) whom just accepted a cushy promotion in Japan. The friends congregate and send their best wishes to Rob via video camera. However, we are introduced to the subplot (which quickly distracts the viewer from the potential threat at hand) of the tortured romance that is Rob and Beth (Odette Yustman). As Rob’s brother, Jason, and Rob’s best friend and cameraman, Hub, try to help out their depressed friend, the viewer is introduced the looming threat codenamed Cloverfield. In a fit of panic, the party takes to the roof to investigate the earthquake, only to be showered by debris. From here, the story is taken to the street as the group meets with a gang of fleeting pedestrians and the well-tossed head of lady liberty. Of course keep in mind that we are still seeing everything from the scared, shaky hand of Hub. Quickly, the group attempts the make their way out of town via the bridge, which is just as quickly chopped in half. The story progresses as the group is slowly separated and killed. Unfortunately, the monster is only shown through quick glacnes and the story is never fully unraveled. Old School HomageLet’s start with the first, most obviously overlooked positive about the movie. This of course is that the plot starts so simple and so easy that it is meant to torture the viewer. Being a monster exploitation film, the point is for the viewer to be annoyed, sympathetic, and anxious, rather than scared or enlightened. Essentially, this method allows Cloverfield to quickly establish itself as a premier monster movie. In conjunction with this, using the socio-political ties of past movies such as Godzilla and Host, the viewer is trapped in a realm of ‘what if’. The story becomes alive and pungent with possibility. In the same way that Godzilla did, the viewer’s perspective is destroyed in favor of the omnificent perception of Hud’s camera (which is supposed to act as a portal drawing us into the story). And much like its predecessor’s, Cloverfield allows itself a whole tandem of sequels, prequels, and spin-offs (which may seem tedious, but is simply smart story writing and creative marketing by the producers). More than a Monster FlickBecause of the handheld medium, the point of view is meant to be completely subjective. We get to know the characters intimately and personally, and the story evolves like the pendulum of a love story. The monster is second to the well being of Beth. It may seem silly for Rob to be so concerned with her (even as the it seems apparent that Beth is probably already dead), but this is the real plot line of the story. Cloverfield focuses on the people of the attack, not the military, not the monster, and not the government. Because of this, the most important focal point (and apparent climax of the film) is getting to Beth. Keep in mind that this movie could (and probably should) be viewed as a monster-themed romance movie. Leave the unnecessary explanations and government conspiracy cover-ups for the upcoming sequel!
The copyright of the article Cloverfield in Horror Films is owned by Justin Disandro. Permission to republish Cloverfield in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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