Let me start by saying even though this film doesn't have much ties to the first Cloverfield movie besides it's title, I found that film to be enjoyable and well made. From my understanding, it's within the same franchise but has a different plot to it. Whereas that movies story is based around found footage, this movie plays out like any other Science Fiction movie mixed with suspense and psychological thrills. What made the first Cloverfield such an awesome movie is that it combined Godzilla with The Blair Witch Project essentially, providing a pace that felt like a breeze with the combination of intense thrills, great suspense and some truly scary moments. The characters weren't fully developed but the audience was given just enough information about them to care about their ordeal. It was a clever concept that worked nicely upon it's release as well as being an inspiration for this movie on some level. 10 Cloverfield Lane has virtually nothing to do with that film but follows a similar pattern with monsters emerging in an unusual form. The story for this film centers around a young woman being held in a bunker with two questionable men after being involved in a car accident and rescued by one of the two men. The men inform her that the world outside is being massively infected by a chemical attack that's widespread with their only option being to remain in the basement and wait it out. As time goes on, the young girl begins to learn the real truth about the outside world as well as the men staying with her. Whereas Cloverfield gave us likeable and sympathetic characters that we cared for in the end just out of experience, this time we are given characters that we either come to care about or hate, and a climax which is not only an emotional payoff but provides a nice twist to an already well constructed and suspenseful film.
10 Cloverfield Lane is a surprisingly exciting, well-crafted, intelligent, and genuinely engaging film that spells pure craftsmanship. The movie moves at a brisk pace just like Cloverfield except this time it's grounded to the confines of a house and basement. With this setting, we are given three main characters played exceptionally well by John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and John Gallagher Jr. These actors bring their A game to this picture and make the most out of what's mostly a one set location in the film. Of the three performances, Goodman and Winstead completely steal the show here as people who are forced to work together in order to survive or do they? Goodman is usually reduced to playing strong supporting characters but here he gives his all and gives us a character that the audience will keep going back and forth on. Winstead creates a likeable sympathetic character whose brought into this situation with no knowledge of what's going on as well as the men who are holding her in the basement, making the audience sympathize with her dilemma. This movie looks and feels like an episode of the Twilight zone with a Alfred Hitchcock like feel to its directing. What makes the script work so good, is that it creates an unbalanced alliance between these three characters with the audience knowing that there is a conflict brewing as well as mistrust between them, that can lead to a conflict brewing inside the household along with what's going on outside with the monster in question. The mood inside the bunker becomes more chilling as the film goes, deteriorating into something as thrilling as what the outside world brings in the films thrilling climax. For many people going into this movie, the story as well as the execution of it is going to be a genuine surprise as the film offers some great suspense that builds masterfully. Once the suspense starts to really kick in, it'll be extremely hard to take your eyes off the screen as everything unfolds and does so beautifully.
Prior to seeing this film, I chose not to watch any of the films trailers nor read it's synopsis going into it and having seen the final finished product, I'm glad that I made that decision because it all worked out for the best. This is a fun movie that's a work of art and glorifies pure craftsmanship. The filmmakers give the audience very little information about the characters prior to the opening sequences as well as the situation brewing outside the bunker which is an excellent choice because it gives the film a great mystery feel to it. While the film itself is not a direct sequel to Cloverfield, I guess one can say that it takes place in the same universe. This is the kind of entertainment that will make audiences appreciate as well as love the creativity behind it. Sometimes a story as small and grounded in reality as this film does with the majority of it can prove to be just as exciting as going to watch a big budget Hollywood movie. 10 Cloverfield Lane is one of the year's best movies as well as being a welcoming film to audiences, as it provides hope that creativity and grounded filmmaking in Hollywood is still a thing and can be even more thought provoking than the typical summer blockbuster. If you like mystery, suspense, and a basic story told exceptionally well then don't miss this movie.
8.5/10
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