Cloverfield

⭐ 7.0/10

(Originally written by Joseph)

This is a found-footage alien invasion movie. All those words are definitely words I like to hear in a movie description, especially because I'm all in on aliens right now (they've been to earth, stop denying it). Pretty good summer movie. It felt like a blockbuster without having a blockbuster budget. I liked the way the found footage stuff added to the suspense, never giving us a full view of the alien, and just giving us enough to keep us guessing. I also love the part of every apocalyptic movie where the danger is just breaking out, and this was a full movie of that.

But also the found footage style was pretty dizzying here. I felt sick trying to follow the action with all the shaky cam and spinning and running. And though I get the point of it, it was frustrating when the action was happening in front of you and the cameraman has the camera pointing at the floor.

Otherwise, the characters were all super flat and the plot was pretty basic. The score really is a testament to how cool the setup was and how great the intrigue was built up. JJ really knows how to get you going, as evidenced by the start of Lost. He also kinds sucks at keeping things going and wrapping them up as evidenced by... well, the rest of Lost.