Cloverfield

[London Bantam]

Alright, just been to see Cloverfield so I thought I'd 'review' it for a few of you film buffs out there.


Background/Plot

The film is about an unknown creature/monster that strikes New York City. It's like a Godzilla flick but the monster ripping up a city is where the similarities end. The whole film is done on a 'handy-cam,' kind of like 'Blair Witch Project'. There are 5 main characters, one of whom films most of the movie, from a morning in April, suddenly switching to a night in May where the monster strikes.

The Film

You'll either love or hate the hand-held camera filming. It starts to give you motion sickness after a while but once you get used it, it makes the film seem more real than a conventional film. Like 'Blair Witch Project', the film goes on too much with the opening bit, it's like following the boring lives of strangers at a party, there's not much going on.

But when it actually gets going, the POV way the film is shot makes scenes that you would ordinarily find boring or the norm seem absolutely terrifying! Some critics have likened it to 9/11 with when one tower is destroyed by the creature and the plume of debris and smoke comes flying towards them. The special effects are top class and even though action isn't as frequent as the trailer would suggest, its still pretty awesome.

The plus points about the film are that you very rarely see the creature, making the film more scary as most of it is noise. No question is answered about where the creature is from or what it's doing in New York, it just happens. There is also a little bit of humour which is to be expected in sci-fi/action films. What lets this film down is the beginning and probably the end for me. The beginning so so tedious you wish you'd got in 45 minutes late and the end is so abrupt, it leaves a few questions unanswered.

All in all I would recommend seeing this film but it will probably only appeal to people who have patience with a film and an attention span that means you've probably read most or all of this post. If you like 'I am Legend' or if you like unconventional films, this is probably for you. However, it's not as good as it may seem on the trailers, slightly disappointed.

2/5

[Parrot]

2/5?

Thats gotta be 2 more than the Blair Shit Project then? :(

I bet it was the Muzzers who did it in the end, wasn't it Turkey? :rolleyes:

[tony d]

So the movie is 84 mins long 45 of whicj are shite and it has a piss poor ending..

So taking off 10 mins for the end you are recommending we waste our cash on 29 mins of whats left..

ever thought about a career in advertising cos i dont know about you guys but im sold...

I do however have to be a tad picky in that I am Legend is a good film from start to finish and without even seeing this film i very much doubt it is fit to be even in the same league as Costners The Postman..

Thanks though saved me a few bob..

[king billy]

Blair witch project - great film, like marmite you either love or hate it - if you can empathise with the storyline like i did, its truly terrifying, i actually found myself feeling dread when it started to get dark not knowing what would happen during the night - for those who couldn't then understandably you'd find it shit....

I am legend - great film let down by a rushed ending - if Cloverfield appeals in the same way i'll probs enjoy it, been hyped up big time tho which normally spoils it for me, decent idea for a film tho and will be getting a watch by KB in the next week or two!!

[ernie06]

Don't waste your money guys - as a film critic "im crap" - but even crap knows when it has watched sh!t

By the way for those that do not know - I am legend is a direct copy of the 1970's charlton heston movie "the omega man" - which is also a copy of the last man standing

But as a trilogy they dont work - lol

[Superfatbantam]

Don't waste your money guys - as a film critic "im crap" - but even crap knows when it has watched sh!t

By the way for those that do not know - I am legend is a direct copy of the 1970's charlton heston movie "the omega man" - which is also a copy of the last man standing

But as a trilogy they dont work - lol

That is sheer Normanesque brilliance, Ernie!

http://www.iansmith.co.uk/image/blog/November2006/blogFilmQuiz_1.jpg

[London Bantam]

Blair witch project - great film, like marmite you either love or hate it - if you can empathise with the storyline like i did, its truly terrifying, i actually found myself feeling dread when it started to get dark not knowing what would happen during the night - for those who couldn't then understandably you'd find it shit....

I am legend - great film let down by a rushed ending - if Cloverfield appeals in the same way i'll probs enjoy it, been hyped up big time tho which normally spoils it for me, decent idea for a film tho and will be getting a watch by KB in the next week or two!!

I think that's the idea of it Matt, it will split audiences 50/50 as to whether you enjoy it or hate it.

Don't quite know what Tony is on about, just the usual ramblings I guess:confused:

[tony d]

Don't quite know what Tony is on about, just the usual ramblings I guess:confused:


Why can you not read????

[London Bantam]

Why can you not read????

I can but its just baffling where you find reason to shoot down what I said when I was trying to be neutral in assessing the film?

Since when did I say I was advertising the film or are you just trying to look big again with your smarmy comments?

[Parrot]

Anyone who thinks Blair Witch Project was good is a complete loon IMO tdwn:

If it had a ending then maybe it would be up their against other greats like The Village :rolleyes: ....but it was hyped up so much that people thought it was "cool" to say it was good!

If ANYONE can tell me why it was good, please tell me and i'll give you a Scooby snack tup:

[tony d]

Since when did I say I was advertising the film

I'm starting to think someone else wrote the review for you now...


All in all I would recommend seeing this film


When i read that after your review i wrote my reply...Now you do the same and tell me mine doesn't make sense again..


How hard is that to understand mate..

[king billy]

Anyone who thinks Blair Witch Project was good is a complete loon IMO tdwn:

If it had a ending then maybe it would be up their against other greats like The Village :rolleyes: ....but it was hyped up so much that people thought it was "cool" to say it was good!

If ANYONE can tell me why it was good, please tell me and i'll give you a Scooby snack tup:

I'm loony then (which i'd suspected for a while anyway) - its a great film and the endings great - if you listened to certain parts of the film nearer the start then you'd have got the ending my friend it brought all the film together and left you with that horror/shock feeling.....tup:
As i mentioned earlier - its all about empathy, i watched it at the pictures, the last showing about 11pm, which was nearly empty with a lass at the time who i couldn't be arsed talking to, i went with no expectations and an open mind having made sure i'd not read 1 review or listened to what anyone else had said - and enjoyed it, i genuinly found it scary as fook, i actually felt i was with there with them......i can quite understand why some folk found it shit - fair do's but if you watched it with any distractions or on dvd/tv then your not in a million years gonna find it any good - it aint that type of film!!

[Parrot]

I'm loony then (which i'd suspected for a while anyway) - its a great film and the endings great - if you listened to certain parts of the film nearer the start then you'd have got the ending my friend it brought all the film together and left you with that horror/shock feeling.....tup:
As i mentioned earlier - its all about empathy, i watched it at the pictures, the last showing about 11pm, which was nearly empty with a lass at the time who i couldn't be arsed talking to, i went with no expectations and an open mind having made sure i'd not read 1 review or listened to what anyone else had said - and enjoyed it, i genuinly found it scary as fook, i actually felt i was with there with them......i can quite understand why some folk found it shit - fair do's but if you watched it with any distractions or on dvd/tv then your not in a million years gonna find it any good - it aint that type of film!!

I know what the ending was about the witch making them stand facing the wall where it ended but sorry....i just thought it was shite :poo:

I know what your saying about empathy but by the end of the film i just wanted those annoying Yank fcukers to die a horrible death...especially the whinning women ffs tdwn:

Like I say, i think a lot of people were "had".......now im off to watch a real film....Terminator and Robocop Vs Predator and Aliens 3 jump:

[London Bantam]

I'm starting to think someone else wrote the review for you now...





When i read that after your review i wrote my reply...Now you do the same and tell me mine doesn't make sense again..


How hard is that to understand mate..


All in all I would recommend seeing this film but it will probably only appeal to people who have patience with a film and an attention span that means you've probably read most or all of this post.

2/5

Obviously you dont have the above mentioned attention span, either that or you choose to take a small part of a sentence and put it in your own context, I suppose you'd make a good politician, you know f**k all most of the time and you're an expert at spinning what people say:jd:

[tony d]

Obviously you dont have the above mentioned attention span, either that or you choose to take a small part of a sentence and put it in your own context, I suppose you'd make a good politician, you know f**k all most of the time and you're an expert at spinning what people say:jd:

Fucking hell sanj.. You wrote that not me..

How can you recommend a film where only 20 odd mins are of any value..Not as if it is Debbie Does Dallas is it...
#
Don't now get on my back cos i chose to pick you up for it..

BTW shhh i know lots mate... My attention span is also high hence why i never let anything go or forget what folk have said in the past..

Again how the fuck am i spinning owt..You wrote the review..What part have i made up ffs?????

You tell me...

All i wanted you to do was explain how you can recommend a film that has 29 mins worth watching if it even has that...??

Now stop crying in your cot and get over it..

[Northern]

Anyway, back to Cloverfield.

London, how else did you expect the film to end? I'm sorry but in my opinion that was the only ending possible, especially with it being a 'video tape recovered from the site formally known as central park' as it says at the start of the film. Surely you didn't expect a big explaination at the end? That'd have just ruined it in my opinion.

I have to agree that it does take a while to get going but once it got going I thought it was great. I actually expected to see less of the monster in the film, and was pleasently suprised it showed as much as it did.

I would recommend this film to anyone, it's filmed well, the unknown (but very good) actors add to the realism of the film, and I went away thinking "that was fucking brilliant"

All in all a 4/5 for me, only dropping a point because of the slow start.

[London Bantam]

Fucking hell sanj.. You wrote that not me..

How can you recommend a film where only 20 odd mins are of any value..Not as if it is Debbie Does Dallas is it...
#
Don't now get on my back cos i chose to pick you up for it..

BTW shhh i know lots mate... My attention span is also high hence why i never let anything go or forget what folk have said in the past..

Again how the fuck am i spinning owt..You wrote the review..What part have i made up ffs?????

You tell me...

All i wanted you to do was explain how you can recommend a film that has 29 mins worth watching if it even has that...??

Now stop crying in your cot and get over it..

All in all I would recommend seeing this film but it will probably only appeal to people who have patience with a film and an attention span that means you've probably read most or all of this post.

2/5


but /bʌt; unstressed bət/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[buht; unstressed buht] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–conjunction
1. on the contrary; yet: My brother went, but I did not.
2. except; save: She was so overcome with grief she could do nothing but weep.
3. unless; if not; except that (fol. by a clause, often with that expressed): Nothing would do but that I should come in.
4. without the circumstance that: It never rains but it pours.
5. otherwise than: There is no hope but by prayer.
6. that (used esp. after doubt, deny, etc., with a negative): I don't doubt but he will do it.
7. who not; that not: No leaders worthy of the name ever existed but they were optimists.
8. (used as an intensifier to introduce an exclamatory expression): But she's beautiful!
9. Informal. than: It no sooner started raining but it stopped.
–preposition
10. with the exception of; except; save: No one replied but me.
–adverb
11. only; just: There is but one God.
–noun
12. buts, reservations or objections: You'll do as you're told, no buts about it.
—Idioms
13. but for, except for; were it not for: But for the excessive humidity, it might have been a pleasant day.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/but

[lee]

I went and saw it tonight. Probably best not read this if you haven't seen it but I won't be saying much more than has been said already.

Got to say I agree more with Sanj than Northern. When I go watch a film I want to know everything that happens and leaving it open ended like that just annoys me. That might be alien concept to some people but it's supposed to be entertainment not a lesson. In fact if they'd told you more then you might have actually had more food for thought as it were. The film was not a rounded piece of entertainment and it's pretty obvious that Abrams (sp) who is the creator is purely setting it up for a sequel and milking the cash cow as he has done with 'Lost'. Also as Sanj says the beginning is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too long and tedious when in reality it only has a slight relevance to the full story.

A couple more points: trying not to ruin it but the repeated shots of the monster actually took the edge off it for me. It obviously looked fake and it did nothing for me. It totally countered the decent use of the camcorders I thought which made it seem much more home-made and 'real'. I preferred it when they were only showing glimpses between the buildings at the start, and the damage it was causing, much more mysterious and scary IMHO. Ironically the monster seemed to be the only crap piece of special effects as the rest was stunning. Also the guy behind the camera began to grate on me after a while, and the short running time leaves you a bit peeved after you've paid £5 to watch the thing!

Having said all that it was worth a watch so do go and see it as it will appeal to some people! Just not the greatest for me!

[Parrot]

A couple more points: trying not to ruin it but the repeated shots of the monster actually took the edge off it for me. It obviously looked fake and it did nothing for me. It totally countered the decent use of the camcorders I thought which made it seem much more home-made and 'real'. I preferred it when they were only showing glimpses between the buildings at the start, and the damage it was causing, much more mysterious and scary IMHO. Ironically the monster seemed to be the only crap piece of special effects as the rest was stunning. Also the guy behind the camera began to grate on me after a while, and the short running time leaves you a bit peeved after you've paid £5 to watch the thing!

I have to disagree....I thought they'd gone OTT with the monster effects, scared me shitless :eek: :rolleyes:


http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j25/Mephistar/GodzillaPlush.jpg


:wet:

[lee]

They might as well have shown that Parrot. The monster was like summat out of Torchwood - they've done their best but there's no way it looks real. Maybe the one shot of the monster would have been better, right at the end. Those who have seen it will know what I'm talking about, in the park. Apart from that limit it to glimpses.

But that's just my personal preference.

[London Bantam]

I went and saw it tonight. Probably best not read this if you haven't seen it but I won't be saying much more than has been said already.

Got to say I agree more with Sanj than Northern. When I go watch a film I want to know everything that happens and leaving it open ended like that just annoys me. That might be alien concept to some people but it's supposed to be entertainment not a lesson. In fact if they'd told you more then you might have actually had more food for thought as it were. The film was not a rounded piece of entertainment and it's pretty obvious that Abrams (sp) who is the creator is purely setting it up for a sequel and milking the cash cow as he has done with 'Lost'. Also as Sanj says the beginning is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too long and tedious when in reality it only has a slight relevance to the full story.

A couple more points: trying not to ruin it but the repeated shots of the monster actually took the edge off it for me. It obviously looked fake and it did nothing for me. It totally countered the decent use of the camcorders I thought which made it seem much more home-made and 'real'. I preferred it when they were only showing glimpses between the buildings at the start, and the damage it was causing, much more mysterious and scary IMHO. Ironically the monster seemed to be the only crap piece of special effects as the rest was stunning. Also the guy behind the camera began to grate on me after a while, and the short running time leaves you a bit peeved after you've paid £5 to watch the thing!

Having said all that it was worth a watch so do go and see it as it will appeal to some people! Just not the greatest for me!


Better watch what you say Lee, someone might think you're advertising it saying it's worth the watch for some people!

But seriously, nice review of the film there, said it shorter than I did anyway! My ticked cost me 6.80, rip off!