And it was GOOD!
I'll tell you what was good about it.
Cloverfield was the BEST attept at Lovecraftian Horror you will ever get in the modern film making era. Sure you can have Reanimator, From Beyond and Dagon on your list if you want but I'll just say High School, High School and Netflix during college.
JJ Abrams didn't make a film that reminded you of any of his other projects either and he could have. There would have been plenty of room for some Lost Alias Heroes to crrep right in there and battle a big assed Mystery monster for 2 hours.
He didn't do that but you know what he did do? he delivered on the promise of his viral marketing campaign.
SOMETHING scared the shit out of us! Night Nurse declared that she wasn't even gonna deal with the POV camera stunt and Ice Queen bolted when one of those many bridges in NYC ate a crown of people but Eris404 and Xtine stuck it out. Eris talked to the screen in a good way too. You know, laughing and screaming like you do when you're actually engaged in the film as opposed to yelling and laughing because you think the actors need your advice.
You really don't get a good look at the monster til damn near the end of the movie and I'm not sure you should have gotten one then. They also do a good job of not letting you see a lot of the "fleas" either, which I like. This gave it a little bit of "The Warriors" meets "Aliens" kinda feel.
You know, 4 Yuppies are forced to turn off the old Sparta and Radiohead CDs and trot themselves across town to find a 5th yuppie whme the 1st yuppie had a thing for before all hell broke loose.
"Hey Guys, Lets take the tunnels!"
Ok look, of Chicago is ever attacked by a 60 foot tall Cthulhu, I will NOT walk down in the Red Line tunnel to get away from it to find my way home. I'd really just as soon take my chances using Jackson to get to Ashland to get to Lincoln to Get to McCormick to get to Main where I'd totally make a right to get over to Crown Park and BAM, home free.
The Monster would get to Chicago, attack Navy Pier cruise on up to Lincoln Park and then probably head South West to Naperville. I'd be way ahead of him by the time he crossed a street I'd used.
In the end, JJ Abrams stick with his plan. The army guys don't explain what the monster is. They don;t intercept an ancient message from the "Old Ones" warning us about the dangers of polluting the oceans.
No one melds minds with the creatures.
They drop bombs on them.
That's f'n right.
They f'n drop bombs.
Just like you'd want them to do.
If you saw Independence Day, Godzilla (Matthew Broderick) or I am Legend and were a lil pissed, JJ Abrams has stolen money from those film makers ala Robin Hood and given you the film you deserve.
Unless the POV camera makes you sick. Then I feel for you and JJ should have added Dramamine with the price of the ticket.
