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(we'll see if what's-his-face on Amazon follows me to bash this review, too!)
Cloverfield
The biggest problem I had with this movie is, unfortunately, unfixable. Because the entire premise hinges on the style in which it was shot - a style that wrecks havoc with my motion-sickness. I spent only half the movie really watching the screen, and had to rewind to see the interesting bits, and still ended up with a nagging headache and an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. And the crushingly disappointing thing is that I really liked the premise of the movie! There wasn't a huge amount of gore, the fact that there were mere glimpses of the monster was well-done in a very old-fashioned (and in my opinion, far better) way, and the rather open ending was, although predictable from the opening credits, still the best possible wrap-up to the story.
The acting could have been better. It seemed a little flat and unbelievable at points, and a few of the characters grated on my nerves. And, of course, the entire movie was completely unbelievable. I can't say much specifically without giving away the plot (and I dislike it when people do that!) but I will say the resistance to weapons by the monster and the words and actions of the military personnel didn't ring at all true. But then, it is a horror film, so I'll grudgingly half-accept some of it as part of my suspension of disbelief.
However, if you're a person who likes answers and plots wrapped up in tidy little packages, this is not the movie for you. Nothing is really explained. There are so many open questions left for the viewer to fill in any way they see fit. Anyone who enjoys that in a movie will have a field day with this one, those who don't will be nothing but frustrated.
I'd say get a group together and pack the Dramamine, it's a good Friday night creature flick. And more than half the fun will be talking about it afterwards. I'd say I'd give an order of nachos, but I'd just throw them up while trying to watch it... so it gets a lovely glass of club soda and some saltines.
Cloverfield
The biggest problem I had with this movie is, unfortunately, unfixable. Because the entire premise hinges on the style in which it was shot - a style that wrecks havoc with my motion-sickness. I spent only half the movie really watching the screen, and had to rewind to see the interesting bits, and still ended up with a nagging headache and an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. And the crushingly disappointing thing is that I really liked the premise of the movie! There wasn't a huge amount of gore, the fact that there were mere glimpses of the monster was well-done in a very old-fashioned (and in my opinion, far better) way, and the rather open ending was, although predictable from the opening credits, still the best possible wrap-up to the story.
The acting could have been better. It seemed a little flat and unbelievable at points, and a few of the characters grated on my nerves. And, of course, the entire movie was completely unbelievable. I can't say much specifically without giving away the plot (and I dislike it when people do that!) but I will say the resistance to weapons by the monster and the words and actions of the military personnel didn't ring at all true. But then, it is a horror film, so I'll grudgingly half-accept some of it as part of my suspension of disbelief.
However, if you're a person who likes answers and plots wrapped up in tidy little packages, this is not the movie for you. Nothing is really explained. There are so many open questions left for the viewer to fill in any way they see fit. Anyone who enjoys that in a movie will have a field day with this one, those who don't will be nothing but frustrated.
I'd say get a group together and pack the Dramamine, it's a good Friday night creature flick. And more than half the fun will be talking about it afterwards. I'd say I'd give an order of nachos, but I'd just throw them up while trying to watch it... so it gets a lovely glass of club soda and some saltines.