Cloverfield (2008) Review

So, I've already seen the excellent 10 Cloverfield Lane.  And with The Cloverfield Paradox out now, I figured I should finally get around to watching the original Cloverfield.  Was it worth my time?  Let's find out!



Cloverfield follows a group of friends in New York City who are having a a going away party for Rob (Michael Stall-David), when a monster attacks the city and starts destroying it.  As the city is evacuated, Rob finds out that girl he loves, Beth (Odette Yustman), is trapped in her apartment.  Rob and his friends brave the destroyed streets of New York City to try and rescue Beth and make it out alive.


What Works:

Cloverfield is a movie that works better in theory than in execution.  I like the story for the movie.  It's focused on a small group of people who have a small, personal goal they are trying to achieve, while disaster is happening all around them.  We get the standard military tropes and characters, but they are very much in the background.  We don't really see what is happening from the world's point of view.  It's a story that is very much focused on a small group in the midst of a massive event and I really like that idea.  But the movie has some serious problems that stop my from recommending Cloverfield.


What Sucks:

I'm really glad the found-footage genre has died off.  I don't mind them sometimes, but if you're going to make a found-footage movie, HOLD THE CAMERA STILL!  The biggest problem with Cloverfield is that it''s hard to watch.  The cameraman character, Hud (T. J. Miller) can't hold the camera still or level to save his life.  This may be more realistic, but it makes the movie less fun to watch.  It's dizzying at some points, but mostly just annoying.  This movie could have just as easily been not found-footage, and that would have been a massive improvement.

The other thing that sucks is the characters.  At best, they are uninteresting.  At worst, they are annoying.  Hud does not shut the hell up, ever.  He is obnoxious, and socially clueless.  He is just the worst.  The rest of the characters just aren't interesting enough for me to care about their story.  


Verdict: 

It's a shame that Cloverfield's characters and cinematography ruin what was otherwise a really interesting idea for a story.  It really is crazy how inferior this movie is to 10 Cloverfield Lane.  We'll see how The Cloverfield Paradox compares.  One thing is for sure, Cloverfield does not have it going on.


 5/10: Meh 


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