I saw it! It’s alive! It’s Huge! I just got home from a screening of Cloverfield, the JJ Produced monster film which has hogged the online hype since July. I don’t have the time to do an extensive review of this movie, as I need to catch a plane to Park City for the Sundance Film Festival in just seven hours. But here is my first take.
The potential problem with a movie like Cloverfield is that the hype can wear thin reallt fast, especially when you’re subject them to near-pointless online viral storylines (what was the point of Jamie’s videos anyways?). But things ramped up these last few weeks, and I feel like I’ve seen more of this movie online than I ever wanted to beforehand. It’s a difficult balance to keep the hype going without giving away too much. And sure, they didn’t show the monster, but seeing too much beforehand was my second biggest concern going into the film. Maybe I had already seen all the cool sequences from the film in the advertising?
Friends, I am here to tell you that there is nothing to be concerned about. There is a lot in this movie that was not shown in the marketing. There is more monster than I originally believed there would be. And yes, you do get to see him very very very close-up. He’s unlike any movie monster I’ve ever seen before. A very cool and unique design, and I think you’ll be pleased. The sound design is incredible, I seriously wouldn’t be shocked if this got nominated for some sound related awards, possibly an Oscar (yes, seriously).
My biggest concern going into the film was about the characters. Would I really care about Rob and Beth and all the characters briefly shown running around in the trailer?
Surprisingly, I was wrong again. The characters are very relatable, even though you don’t get too much background information on any of them. The first 20 or so minutes are monster free. It’s all background, getting to know some of the characters, and it’s all a slow build for the monster’s first reveal. Because when the shit hits the fan, you feel like you’re stuck in the middle of this horrific situations with a group of new friends. Of course, the story follows Rob, a young many who has just gotten a job in Japan. His goodbye party is interrupted by the monstrous scream we’ve all seen a billion and a half times in the teaser trailer. While everyone is trying to get out of New York City, Rob is trying to reconnect with Beth, who is trapped in midtown. But the true shining star in this film is a guy named HUD, who appears on camera just a few times. But you will get to know him very well. HUD is the man behind the video camera, documenting the whole thing as it goes down. His running commentary is hilarious, and you will quickly grow to love him. HUD is one of the reasons that Cloverfield works so well. He’s the funny best friend comic relief character that makes most romantic comedies bearable. But instead of being employed to a few funny appearances, the love-able comic relief character is front and center. He is more you than Rob, and maybe it’s better that way. But its so interesting to see a story from the point of view of this type of character. Refreshing even.
Does the handheld format get annoying? Surprisingly, no. Blair Witch used the first person idea as a gimmick. Cloverfield takes the idea, and uses it to tell a story. I really don’t want to give-away any spoilers, even though enough of the film is already online for you to piece together.
Cloverfield is not shakespeare. It’s not a masterpiece. It has flaws (mostly having to do with little conveniences throughout the story (The “they just happen to be there sort of stuff, or the that guy would never let them do THAT sort of stuff. You’ll see what I mean), but it isn’t anything that takes away from the big picture.
Cloverfield is a fun movie. Plain and simple. It’s sit back, relax and go. It’s a roller coaster ride. JJ Abrams wanted to make an American monster movie, and he has done just that. Cloverfield is not a Godzilla rip-off, it’s the reinvention of the monster film. This is the story about characters trapped in a monster film. They aren’t the characters that would be in the big Hollywood blockbuster version, or even an D-level take by The Asylum or Troma. These characters are the people running away from Godzilla. They have no urge to defeat the monster, they just want to get away and reconnect with their loved ones. This is a human story which just happens to take place during this gigantic moment of fear.
/Film Rating: 8 out of 10
January 16th, 2008 at 2:16 am
Hey, saw the movie tonight at a media screening - think it may have been a tad over hyped, but great fun to watch!
January 16th, 2008 at 2:44 am
I too saw it at a media screening. I liked it. It wasn’t a movie that I thought I HAVE to see, but with the free screen invite, and like Peter says I got to really sit back and enjoy it. One thing dawned on me as I’m taking it all in…Lonelygirl15. Cloverfield felt like a youtube movie, which is what I think JJ was trying for in some respect. I also realized that it took a tremendous amount of work to make it look honest and effortless. J.J Abrams and who ever directed it (I asked while we where waiting and sadly none of us could remember) made a very good monster film that wasn’t ridiculous. I really felt like I was watching some found footage, like on youtube, only a million inches big and in HD.
January 16th, 2008 at 5:33 am
That was the worst movie i have ever seen. it was only 75 minutes long and had NO plot whatsoever. TERRIBLE!!
January 16th, 2008 at 5:53 am
dang it you stole my idea of a movie review. I was gonna use that as my first line “I saw it, It’s Alive, It’s HUGE!” haha I have been using a countdown on myspace and was getting stoked to use that line… okay I still will use it =]
I am excited for friday… 2 days!!!!
January 16th, 2008 at 6:18 am
Great “first take.”
I’m looking forward to this movie, not like “Indy 4″, but sort of.
January 16th, 2008 at 6:35 am
After all these reviews, I think I’ll wait for the YouTube version to see this film!
January 16th, 2008 at 7:25 am
Saw it at the sneak peak in Pittsburgh…. it seriously made my head hurt. I have never heard people boo-ing when a movie ended, but they did last night. I felt worse off with motion sickness than with blair witch…. did HUD have parkinson’s? While the experience felt real, the movie just ends. There is no tie in or anything like that. With Blair witch, it was supposed to be that the kids dides and this was the tape they found. That is what they tried to do with this move, but last I checked, NYC is still there, and this “thing” doesn’t exist. So to end the way it did after only 74 min of camera shaking motion sickness (and I don’t get sick easily) was just disappointing. Rental….maybe
January 16th, 2008 at 8:32 am
Thank god this movie is good. Now I can go into that theater on friday and not be worried about if this movie will meet my expectations because clearly by your review, this movie will be good. I CANT WAIT!!!
January 16th, 2008 at 8:44 am
I HATED IT. THE MOVIE HAD NO PLOT, THE MONSTER ISN’T SCARY AND POOR CGI. POOR BLAIR WICTH RIP OFF.DO NOT GO SEE THIS MOVIE NOt WORTH THE 6 MONTH OF HYPE. WORST MONSTER MOVIE EVER MADE
January 16th, 2008 at 9:30 am
Sounds like it could be a fun, see it once, event/experience-type movie. Blair Witch did certainly have the advantage of getting the jump on the viral marketing concept. But did anyone really watch it more than once? I’ll check this out and I’m all for people at least trying to do something new.
January 16th, 2008 at 9:55 am
So… basically, it is Mtv’s The Hills if a Godzilla monster suddenly decided to stomp on Hollywood?
Pass.
January 16th, 2008 at 9:55 am
Worst Movie ever…hand held camera work got old very very fast, there was no character development, and the monster looked like a pissed off turtle. best part of the movie was when they died in the end and the movie was over. Put this one in the $1.99 DVD bin now, so no one else has to suffer. save your money.
January 16th, 2008 at 10:09 am
@lme: I hope yer kidding about the end, otherwise put *spoilers* in the beginning of yer remarks you rookie posting dipshit.
January 16th, 2008 at 10:11 am
lme…you shouldn’t spoil…it’s against net laws…ad some ethics…
January 16th, 2008 at 10:36 am
I’ll be the judge of how good or bad the movie is when i go see it thursday at midnight, i wont let the party pooping bad reviewers ruin it for me………….
That is just fricken rude
January 16th, 2008 at 10:49 am
Watch Rob and the gang go find Beth in this new 2-minute clip on yahoo.
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809873032/video/5955724/
Now that we know all the viral marketing stuff has nothing to really do with the movie and was done just to keep us busy until the movies’s release, for those who care anymore, there’s a new picture up at:
http://www.1-18-08.com
January 16th, 2008 at 11:24 am
So, no credit towards Matt Reeves who actually directed the film, but props to JJ Abrams instead? Too bad for Reeves he didn’t make a great tv series (”Lost”) and a medicore film (”MI:3″).
Anyway, glad it turned out good - I liked the concept. I’ll be checking it out this weekend.
January 16th, 2008 at 11:31 am
So I saw the movie at a screening last night…not great but definitely not bad either. For those saying no character development, there was quite a bit actually, and it gets tied into the random clips being recorded over on the tape you’re watching. And besides its a monster movie not a drama about character development. You DO get to see the monster, which is good and bad. Good because, phew I got to see the monster that has been hyped up beyond belief, and bad because well its just not that cool of a monster. The camera shakes A TON! It was way worse than the Blair Witch and actually gave me a headache, I know, I know, suck it up. On the flip side HUD is hilarious and saves the movie from being a little boring at times. SPOILER The parasites, yes there are little creatures, are pretty cool and do look like the Starship Troopers bugs. Overall it was pretty good, I’d give it 6/10…2.5 Stars…One Thumb Up. It was worth going to the theatre for but I’m not sure how many times I will see it.
January 16th, 2008 at 11:45 am
Wow. Seriously? After ALLLLL that viral marketing, and that’s all we get?
I don’t wanna be a f*ck up like lme, so I won’t say too much. But damn. As someone who has followed the online campaign very closely, the movie is a HUGE let down. For anyone else that has payed as much attention to the online shiza, you will know what I’m talking about when you finally see this glorified turd. Peter presents them as, little conveniences. I call ‘em HOLES!
My recommendation, and I don’t care what any of you have to say, is download the Torrent of some dude with a hand held filming the movie that was filmed with a hand held.
January 16th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
say that three times fast.
January 16th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Guys ignore the hater reviews. I saw it last night, I have been following the viral campaign… had very high expectations for the movie and came out completely satisfied. Hell, I’m going to watch it again on Friday. Everyone I went to the screening with loved it and other people at the screening also seem to like it. And all the credible movie websites have so far given it positive reviews. It is a very different kind of monster movie, sure you get to see the monster and the destruction but that for the most part is not the point. The point is that you are living this horrific situation with these characters and you actually care about these characters. I know the previews make it look like they are just going to be ‘oh look that guy just got ripped by the monster’ sort of characters just there to get killed like in most horror movies but no you actually care about them. The best comparison I could think of is Titanic, in Titanic you had the ship sinking and some really cool effects but that movie was about Rose and Jack, the sinking just happened to be there. Also, the movie is absolutely terrifying at times. A lot of monster movies go for the camp and coolness factor. Godzilla had scenes where you just laughed at godzilla (both the american version and the japanese one) and even in the Host used the monster for laughs but this guy… he is intense there is nothing funny about him and whereas in movies like Godzilla and Transformers we had fun seeing the buildings being destroyed and mayhem being spread here it is scary and terrifying. Again back to my titanic comparison, in the hands of someone like Michael Bay or Roland Emmerich titanic would have been about ‘oh look this ship is sinking and look how cool it is’ and have a bunch of flag waving hero soldiers trying to help but instead when the titanic sank it was sad and scary, the same is true for Cloverfield when you see the buildings fall and the aftermath of the attack it is not cool, it is not funny it is scary.
As far as the shaky cam goes; I got used to it after the first 10minutes and after that I barely even noticed it except in some of the running sequences. The camera is shaky but is not any worse then what you see in the Bourne movies. You should not have a problem with it unless you are very sensitive.
I loved this movie, it was entertaining and unique, don’t take my word for it if you don’t want to but if you even have the slightest interest in seeing this movie… go see it in a theater, it is the kind of movie that you have to experience in a theater. I think this movie may break some box office records. People are going to like what they see.
January 16th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
It’s amazingly sad how many people bitch. Don’t bash the film simply because your a pussy and can’t handle the style in which the story is presented (visually).
January 16th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
The movie by itself….not too bad.
With all the dreck (in the most literal sense) leading up to it……so not worth it.
The point is, would this movie stand on it’s own? Think about ALL the hype leading up to it and for how long it’s been going on. Really stop and think about it for a second. The movie was enjoyable and all. But did it really need all this of this hype? If it’s as great as you say it is, why all the BS beforehand that SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT didn’t even f*ckin get mentioned?!
January 16th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
What f^&ing hype? two thirds of the people i ask what they thought about the upcoming “Cloverfield” movie looked at me as if i had 3 heads and a tail…… the hype was amongst us monster movie fans.
A movie that DEFINETLY did not deserve the hype was “I am legend” most of the special effects (the reason why we watch these movies, not because we believe in monsters) were recreating vegetation overgrowth in manhattan.
January 16th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
As far as anyone hating Cloverfield goes, it’s only because Cloverfield didn’t end up being the movie they though it should be. It’s a damn good, enjoyable MONSTER MOVIE. Nothing more, nothing less.
January 16th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Ah the old phantom menace backlash
January 16th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
/argument
January 16th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Hi Peter!!!
I’m from Brazil and I like so much your blog! Congratulations!
I’m really hope for something sacarstic in your review about Cloverfield. We’re still can’t watch this movie here in Brazil, for while, just in the next month, but I don’t belive this can be a GREAT movie.
You sad everything in this frase:
“Cloverfield is a fun movie”
Now, I know what a exactly kind of a movie I have to expect.
God work Peter!
Bye!
January 16th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
I can’t believe you compared Cloverfield to Craptanic, if thats the case you would be saying the movie was a horrible, love story with some wreckage in the background. As I said overall the movie was GOOD. Not great, but good. If you can get used to the Parkinson’s hand cam then I think maybe something is wrong with your eyes. Also you do have to see this in a theatre if you want to see it as you wont get the same effect from a home theatre or computer.
January 16th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Listen, I’m a huge stickler for plot and character development even when it comes to horror and sci-fi movies and I’m here to tell you that this movie WORKED.
If you HATE shakey-cam, then by all means skip it, but as a whole and as presented with the concept used this movie was a blast.
I think a lot of people went in with a chip on their shoulder regarding this movie due to all the viral hype. I went in separating the hype and just watched the movie “clean.”
As opposed to boos, our audience applauded.
I actually gave it a higher rating on Screen Rant than Peter did here.
Vic
January 16th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Lucky for me I ignored the “hype” and “viral” marketing. All I care about is the final product, not the BS marketing. And I don’t scour the Earth for every little detail and clue about what to expect beforehand. Patience is indeed, a virtue.
January 16th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Just some quick questions. Is the monster terrifying? Does it have crappy SciFi animation? Do you get close to where you see every detail or like Hank Azara’s close-up with Godzilla in Godzilla? Is this movie scary?
January 16th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Awesome…I figured this movie would be OK at best, and so far it’s hard to tell if its crap or if its ok, judging by peoples comments…Seems like you either hate it or love it. I have a feeling I might hate it…
January 16th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Here’s one person’s view:
I wouldn’t say the film was overhyped necessarily because unless you frequent sites like this one, it’s very possible you didn’t hear of this film until the trailers started appearing on TV. I know many people who didn’t see any of the so-called “viral marketing.”
Basically, I liked this movie because I accepted it for what it was.
Yes, some aspects of the film were a little annoying. The way the camera work was done was silly at some points. It’s not the fact that the movie uses the “from a camera” viewpoint. I was okay with that. (I think it can actually add realism to a film like this.) But we’re supposed to believe that this guy — even at the beginning, could never keep the camera on people’s faces. The dialogue was useless for the most part. Granted, if this was really happening the dialogue probably would be composed mostly of screams or of “DON’T!” or “GO! GO!” But the problem is: this isn’t *really* happening. It’s a movie. I don’t want to see how people would “really” act if a monster came to New York. I want to see an entertaining movie that knows when and where to suspend realism and when and where not to.
For example, without giving a lot away at all, why would an Army evacuation put one girl on a helicopter (and she was healthy) while leaving a very wounded one behind? You might say: “Well, who cares?” Okay, but the fact that this kind of stuff is so noticeable means that you get separated from the story for a bit. Your suspension of disbelief gets halted. And that’s a bad thing. When coupled with the almost total lack of emotional engagement possible with the characters (who are largely cardboard), you don’t have much except the disaster itself.
And this is a disaster movie first and foremost. Now, I feel the scenes of disaster are *very* well done. That’s what this movie really is: it’s not about a monster, it’s not about the people. It’s not even about how people respond to a disaster. It’s about filming a disaster scenario, pure and simple. A monster just happens to be the means by which it occurs. Someone said this was a reinvention of the monster movie. To me, that’s hardly the case. What “Cloverfield” was is simply the disaster movie done (again!) in New York (again!) with a monster in some updated “clothing,” so to speak. There is literally nothing new here at all.
The camcorder stuff? Done in Blair Witch and also with Diary of the Dead. It’s arguable if it’s an effective way to tell a story, but it’s certainly not new and certainly not groundbreaking. A monster in New York? Not new, not groundbreaking. Scenes of destruction? Not new, not groundbreaking (even though they were well done). The characters are mainly a foil to take us on a tour of New York as it is attacked.
So, really, this is lipstick on a pig. It just happens to be a pig that many of us like (intense disaster scenarios where people have to run for their lives amidst chaos and calamity). If you are a critical moviegoer who cares about plotting and dialogue over and above the “fun” of a disaster movie, you probably won’t like this. If you are a critical moviegoer who can put the “fun” part above the other elements, you’ll probably take this for what it is and enjoy it. If you’re an uncritical moviegoer, who doesn’t notice plot gaps or poor storytelling but revels in pure action, you’ll probably really love this film.
January 16th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
The monster is not terrifying in the least, the parasites look like big spiders, there is a close-up, which satisfies the curiosity as to what it looks like, and no the movie is not even close to scary…in the end I would not call it a horror movie or a monster movie…it would probably fall more under documantary or drama???
January 16th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
how close is the close up excatly?
January 16th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Like all up in your face up-close, from Hud’s perspective. Close enough to smell the stank on his breath.
January 16th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
im really confused on whether ill like it, or i wont. theres alot of comments that hated the movie, and alot of comments that liked it. somebody please just answer these questions without spoiling the movie for me…do you get to see the monster in full detail (without smoke or blurryness and shit), and does the monster fuck some shit up? just somebody answer those questions for me.
January 16th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
I can’t wait til Friday … but I notice that all the “haters” of the movie are missing the point! They are complaining that there is no plot and the camera is shaky. From what I am learning one of the purposes of the movie is to make it as real as possible. The movie is suuposed to be a tape that was found off the street somewhere, so all the plot talk is not going to work.
Let me explain further, “a monster some 50 stories tall has just thrown the head of the Statue of Liberty down my street, so…. I would like to take this time to tell you where I am from, where I went to school, my mom and dad’s name, my social security number, the name of my cat, how tall my girlfriend is, how my 16th birthday sucked, and how good that ice cream I had last night was.”
No! People I am high stepping it out of the NYC! Peace! Of course it is not totally realistic, because I am not so sure too many people would take the time to record such an event. Me, maybe I would get one shot, but after that I’m ditching the cam and haulin some you know what! That is what really intrigues me about this film, how realistic can they make it.
January 16th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
If you thought those characters were relatable then you need new friends
That is a fact.
This stank.
Reminds everyone why Starship Troopers and Aliens are so cool.
January 16th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
Okay - my brother and I came in 15 minutes before the premiere started so only the first four rows had empty seats. That was a BIG mistake. The only way to appreciate this movie is to sit as far away from the screen as possible because a lot of the handheld shots were extreme close-ups of the characters’ faces. The rest of the scenes are dizzying, angled, sometimes blurry, inadequately lit, pans and zooms. It’s too realistic and I don’t mean that in a positive way. While the style is deliberate, in the end that’s what this movie is about - style. I’m sure that the CG animators and Compositors spent a lot of time creating sequences with this very unpolished look. The result is really convincing as if this was an actual footage recovered from the ruins in Manhattan. Don’t expect any explanations about the creature’s origins though - there are no whys or hows in this movie. It’s simply a succession of unedited shots showing what “actually” happened from the point of view of an “amateur” videographer. Think Blair Witch Project meets 9-11. No Godzilla here, at least not onscreen. Out of the 80 minutes that you`ll be spending inside the theater, you`ll only see the giant creature for, at the most, 3 minutes total - and these are mere glimpses and not full-on shots. I left the theater feeling disappointed to say the least.
January 16th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
already saw the movie……very dissapointed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 17th, 2008 at 9:04 am
Ignoring the ending I thought this was a really amazing imaginative monster movie. The Cinema Verte didn’t bother me save for a minute or two about a quarter of the way through. Having Hud as comedic relief was a stroke of genius in my opinion and added alot to the film and made it much more entertaining without detracting from the films core. The sound was fantastic and there are a couple of scenes which really took my breath away. For example the helicopter scene and the first bit after it were just amazing.
***Time to Talk about the ending***
I’m really conflicted about this. I mean it just leaves you feeling dead inside haha. I must admit I did feel a more “hollywood ending” may have improved it, or at least something that gave the film some scope, hell even a final shot of NY being blow to bits I think somehow would have helped.
In a way I felt the ending was almost too real for me, blah to confuzzled by this at least it wasn’t a film ruining I Am legend conclusion
**************
In any case definately, definately worth the ticket and definately, definately worth going and seeing on the big screen!
January 17th, 2008 at 9:28 am
DEFINATELY one of the WORST movie seen ever! Everybody came out of the cinema cursing and swearing…. not to mention, wanting to THROW UP! From the starting of the movie, the way its filmed makes the audiences feel dizzy… and that continued for the rest of the movie.
Ended adruptly with no ending, started with no good beginning too. Really disliked the plot of the movie and especially the filming. It reminds me of a HOME VIDEO instead of a movie.
Mainly could remember the main lines being :” Oh my god…..oh my god…… oh god…….oh god……”
“I know……. I know……. ”
“run………run………”
Seriously, the worst movie ever!
January 17th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Great reviews.. NOT! However. I will see it tonight at midnight JUST BECAUSE it’s something fun to do.. something out of the “ordinary” and needless to say something that has been building since July.
I didn’t even want to read any reviews but I could not help myself.. LOL.. Here I am… BUT.. Oh well!
Sharon
January 17th, 2008 at 10:43 am
The movie has a 71% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, needless to say many of these negative reviews are just haters who have not even seen the movie
January 17th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
People are blasting it for the style it was set in…
Take the movie for what it is. It is a monster/disaster movie filmed from the perspective of people trying to rescue a friend and gtfo of the city. Character development? They are RUNNING for their LIVES from a MONSTER.
If you didn’t like the camera shake, what were you expecting? The whole movie is set like that, you knew that from the previews. How steady would you hold a camera running? Have you even tried it?
The answer is not steady at all. Take the movie for what it is, not compare it to what it isn’t.
January 17th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
ROOOOOOOOOOOOOAR…WASTE YOUR MONEY….ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAR!!!
January 17th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Saw a screening. Wish I could say it was good, alas, its Godzilla with FX. Stupid, clumsy, oddly uninvolving, stilted acting, embarrassing dialogue, essentially a stupid, clunky mess for anyone over the age of 14.
Go rent any one of the Godzilla movies, or better yet, the original King Kong…far far FAR better.
January 17th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
I think a lot of people did not do enough research on this movie and went in expecting something (that if u had done your research) the movie was not going to deliver. But I will see at midnight tonite I hope!
January 17th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Are some of you for real? You’re slamming the film for not having ‘character development’ when it was in actual fact a first person DISASTER film and had 20 solid minutes of character introduction at the beginning? “no plot”. Eurgh, are you serious? You must be deaf dumb and blind, all of you.
pompous self righteous wannabe movie elitists.
This is not some pretentious indie flick, this is a disaster movie, so at least have the decency to review it as one.
For anyone who is interested in a good review:
For anyone who is not a total geek and didnt spend 10 hours a day lurking movie websites looking for hints it was pretty unexpected as far as monster stories go. *spoiler* The film was in no way about the monster or the attemps to bring the monster down, the film was entirely shot with the intention of showing us how a certain group of friends react under the pressure of a disaster of this gravity and it worked. It was refreshing to have the human side to a disaster story shown and throughout the film you genuinely felt for the characters. Having snipets of old tape from the video camera shown throughout was a great way to develop characters more without stopping the action and I found the fact that they didnt show the full monster on screen at any given time was very refreshing as it alwys left you wanting to see more of this beast. It was very very entertaining. The CGI was polished in comparison to other films that have been released recently (I Am Legend being a good example of CGI gone wrong) and the monster is pretty cool looking, I would liken it to a giant pissed off LOTR cave troll with a sort of aquatic edge.
At the end, the audience applauded and everyone was raving about how fun it was to watch. Audience applause at a cinema says a LOT these days.
January 17th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
No, the negative reviews ARE from people who HAVE seen the movie, like here in Australia who are a day ahead time zone wise
The more i think about the film the more i hate it.It utterly fails its most basic premise that its presenting a ‘hyperreal’ account of a monster attack
But you cant do that if you can’t let go of Hollywood-isms like people who look and act like cyborgs. Filming them in a psuedo 9/11 style is simply not enough.
Apart from that the internal logic is simply retarded. Electricity works when it shouldn’t suddenly the camera work improves when we have the ‘romantic’ moment…Suddenly we have discovered the video camera that is built better than the tanks being squashed. In the end it comes across precisely like a home movie of Godzilla.
JJ Abrams is the king of the phony hokey ‘mystery’. Eventually people will realise its simply not enough to have a mystery that only creates more mystery.Even the most rabid Lost fans got bored. Hitchcock understood this perfectly. Mystery MUST have a narrative, otherwise its a dumb stunt. Abrams is dissapearing right up the same sphincter Shaymalan went up.
Most of the cinema audience giggled nervously like ‘this is stupid’ but the 14 yr olds and geek tragics gasped only like idiots can when blindly accepting junk.
Im a massive Sci-Fi and horror nut, and Cloverfield was easily the most overhyped
crappy half baked film ive seen in many years. Fanboys will talk this up blindly. The truth is, it’s shit.
January 17th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
and furthermore if you or anyone you know acts or talks like that yuppie scum desicted in the film, please do us all a favor and immediately commit hari kiri
January 17th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
and furthermore if you or anyone you know acts or talks like that yuppie scum depicted in the film, please do us all a favor and immediately commit hari kiri
January 17th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
This is awesome…Half the people here are saying it sucked, and the other half are saying it wasn’t bad. I’m gonna have to see this for myself…
January 17th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
i just got back from a screening all i gotta say that this lives up to the hype and more its is great!! i am in total shock that its so great ppl just gotta go in there and have fun this movie is perfect i wanna see it again!!!
January 17th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
I finally got to see it today and I absolutely loved it. People at the theater seemed to have a great time, they applauded when the movie ended. The acting is very good (not mention Marlena is really hot), the dialog is very REALISTIC it is not Oscar winning dialog but it is what people would say if a monster was ripping through the city. The CGI is surprisingly good for a movie with a budget of only 30 million. The style of shooting from the perspective of a few survivors worked and I won’t spoil anything but they use the camera in some really creative ways several times. Matt Reeves who directed this movie has a big future ahead of him and may have created an iconic monster franchise.
@Cap’n Pugwash: If the movie is this bad then why on Rotten Tomatoes the movie has an awesome 71% fresh rating and almost every credible critic/movie website has given it a positive review? Maybe you are just a hater or you just didn’t “get” the movie.
Even the most rabid Lost fans got bored.
You just lost all credibility there. Even the most hardcore haters of Lost admitted that last season especially the second half was the best the series has ever produce. Critics voted it as the second best show of last season. And you are never bored while watching Lost, you may feel frustrated at times but never bored. So yeah you just sound like a hater who has probably not even seen the movie.
The characters were very realistic the way they talk most of the time is what most of my friends sound like, they do not sound like english professors like they do in Dawson’s Creek nor do they sound like dumb morons as they do in things like Gossip Girls and Beverly 90210, they are just regular people have their flaws and are very relatable.
And if your biggest complains about the movie are “the camera is very durable or the shot quality improves when it comes to a calm scene instead of a frantic chase sequence” then this movie has done an awesome job.
January 17th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
I give this film one week in theaters so see it fast. Half the theater walked out of the prescreening I was just in totaly sick. Those that did make it to the end actually booed. I have never been in a movie where people booed let alone at one they did not pay for. Apart from the guaranted sickness the movie is annoying at best.
January 17th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Well I saw it last night in Sydney and the audience applauded, and then were all raving about it as they left the cinema, so I dont know what kind of film-snobs were at the screening you were at but booing ANY time, especially when you did not even pay to see the film, is effing rude.
Why are people judging it as some big hollywood-esque blockbuster filmed on million mm cameras with an infinite budget?
That’s not it, AT ALL.
You’re totally missing the point.
It was just presented as tape found during the clean up of Manhattan and played directly to you. And it bought that across perfectly.
January 17th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
Saw this at a preview where hundreds were turned away due to overbooking of the theater. It’s not a movie but more of a historical record. All the “text” at the beginning clearly sets up what you are about to watch. This required reading which some moviegoers missed or didn’t read for content because they were waiting for the pretty pictures to entertain them. Well other than a little drawn out party scene this is one roller coaster ride. No plot? how about a plot of survival? Blair Witch camera technique? Perhaps, but if you’re running for your life and decide to carry a camera with you I’m sure yor’re not going back for a tripod. Just place yourself in the characters shoes and see if you don’t get caught up in the terror.
January 17th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Ok.. it’s my turn to see it now… AMC 30 here in my part of the Midwest expects to have a half full theatre for this midnight show… And you know what…. it’s freaking cold out!!
But even if it is only half full.. it will still be a good size crowd because the theatre they are showing it in is one of the big rooms in the front…
And they did show it last night.. private showing… the person at AMC would not tell me how it went when I asked her..
OK poof!
Sharon
January 17th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
I saw it in Sydney last night, too, but it must have been a different session to yhe one Kelly saw, that’s for sure!
The sound was bloody amazing. Really, really loud and scary. It’s probably the only reason to see it in a cinema
I thought the movie was a little disappointing, as did many others in the (packed) theatre.
When that final credit came up, you could hear an audible “Wha…? from the audience.
As has been said said, it’s short…(”Disney short”, as mr meg said afterward), and it feels really short, too.
The camera work was hard to get used to…think Transformers wobble-cam x 1000…however, that video camera is unbelievably good…it was spectacular…especially the mic which picked things up so clearly.
You do actually see the monster, just never all at once. It’s one of the more frustrating things about the film. Rob asks if Hud is filming it, because “people should know what went down”. The problem is, it’s Rob’s camera, and Hud has no idea how to use it. If they were so intent on keeping a record, why not actually take more than a shaky 3 second shot of the monster? He spent the entire movie filming…surely if he was in that much danger, he’d ditch the camera and actually attempt escape with two hands?
Interestingly, in all the reviews I’ve read so far, nobody has made the 9/11 comparison, when it seems kind of obvious that many of the shots were inspired by footage of New York in the minutes/hours after the planes hit. The same walls of smoke pouring through skyscraper lined streets, and the eerie footage of people walking, ghost-like through the streets in the dead quiet.
The scene in the tunnel took a good deal from Aliens, too.
We both felt, however, that “clever” took over from plot and substance.
Why was the Central Park site called Cloverfield? Who found the tape we were watching? If that was the case, why didn’t we find out what happened to Manhattan?
The whole thing felt like a you-tube video, and maybe that’s how it should have been released (except for the sound. You really need a big-arse subwoofer)
I think the special effects guys must have been gutted…all that work on what (looks like, maybe?) a pretty cool monster, except you never get a good look at him…were those spider things (Starship troopers, anyone?) falling out of the bullet holes in the monster? Where did it come from? Why was it pissed off?
The thing that annoys me the most is we might actually find out some of these questions…when the DVD comes out. Ultimately, I felt as if I was being marketed to, watching yet again another trailer, and it left me feeling dissatisfied.
January 17th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
haha I love how there is no one in between on this its freakin hilarious its either this movie Fin sucks or this movie Fin rules its freaking hilarious to read, especially grub and williams “close up” talk and hmmm’s “roaring” marketing idea, haha i think i enjoyed reading these comments more than i will the silly lookin movie.
January 17th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
Thinking that this movie is bad because of lack of plot, style, etc etc etc. makes you sound like an elitest.
You can just admit it, that’s fine.
Although it does seem a waste of time to argue those points since it was all done on purpose.
If you didn’t like it so much, why are you on review sites to bash it?
I’d think you wouldn’t want to waste anymore time on something you didn’t like.
January 17th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
Please do not insult any sane person’s intelligence by pulling out that ‘elitist’ BS
which is exactly the kind of moronic stuff people start dribbling to excuse garbage.
We should all desire to use our critical faculties to fully enjoy good art and entertainment…calling it ‘elitism’ is just a desperate attempt to dumb things back down to the level the film works on.
January 17th, 2008 at 11:55 pm
Just got back from the movies………it was good, worth it, go see it
January 18th, 2008 at 12:07 am
Way to ignore the second part of what I said.
If you hate this movie so damn much, stop talking about it.
xD
It’s not that hard.
Unless of course you really have nothing else to do, you sane person you.
Whatever creams your twinkie.
You may think the movie is shit but others, obviously, don’t.
I don’t think you should imply that they’re insane for liking the movie.
January 18th, 2008 at 12:15 am
Kira, you have just asked why someone is on a review site to post a non-favourable review.
I did not realise that “review” meant say you enjoyed it even when you didn’t. The posters here who have replied negatively toward the film have just the same right as those who loved it. Not much of a discussion blog if everyone says the same thing! I would have thought as a film lover you would agree that debate is good!
January 18th, 2008 at 1:11 am
seriously, Clover field was a big disappointment. the acting was bad, there wasn’t to much of logical thinking and even though the monster was the best thing in the movie, it seem as if it could have been more of battle scenes and gore for it to be filmed suppossibly by a cam corder. all the hype got people minds closed to the bullshit if a movie jj abrams gave us. two thumbs down. But, i hope to make alot of money of u suckers from the bootleg though.
January 18th, 2008 at 1:19 am
SPOILER!!!!
the most entertaining moment (besides hud’s commentary) was when the helicopter crashed, my friend tried to stifle a chuckle, i couldn’t, we busted out laughing and made the whole theatre laugh
January 18th, 2008 at 1:24 am
Ok.. I’m back.. I saw the movie at midnight CST and actually there were more people then I expected but only because it’s so freaking cold out!
The film keep my attention the entire time as well as the rest of the audience. HUD did bring laughs .. however I could not catch all of what he was saying. The SOUND EFFECTS were AWESOME! I would have to agree with many others here. It’s a must see in the theatres. It was loud and I loved it!
The movie had me on the edge of my seat so to say as I felt like I was going through this nightmare with the cast. The way it was filmed did make one feel a part of it. Yes, the camera was shaky a lot but it was still good enough to follow. There were a few times I jumped a little, you know out of my seat..LOL
The monster was exactly what I saw on one of the trailers in slow motion and freeze frame. The face I mean.. I knew it’s face was going to look just like that!
I say Bravo!!! I really liked it. But I did not have my expectations high like some others may have. Basically I knew what type of film this was and was not looking for more out of it. It is different and different is good! But it’s not for everyone..
Sure I wish there would have been more at the end.. and I wish Rob and Beth didn’t have to die.. and It would have been nice to know more about the origin of the monster.. but I guess that was not intended. So taking it as it is… I say Thumbs up! The audience loved the movie.. at the end it was quiet for a few moments and then some clapped, and only one or two boo’s..and for the most part everyone hung out waiting for something else.. but there was not.
BUT WAIT.. what was this trailer prior to the movie.. another J.J. film to be released in December 2008? A Star Trek movie? Under Construction?? What’s all that about? Is that the name of it or is it just under construction? It better not be another game for months on end like this one was.. OH NO! LOL
Oh I forgot to say.. when the movie finally started after many previews and it was quiet for a few moments… some guy farted really loud and everyone had a good laugh at that to start!
Sharon
January 18th, 2008 at 1:49 am
Questions: Why are there more pictures on 1-18-08.com and these pictures were not even in the movie ????
OK we know the movie took place in April / May .. so where does 1/18 come in esp on the first several pictures on that website?
I’m guessing that the pictures with the time and date probably mean.. when the movie opens to the general public 1/18 and the approx times of the actual frame of the movie, when the scene in the picture would have taken place in real time for us… opening show???
And Jamie (Jayme) not sure of the correct spelling.. anyway.. she didn’t last long in this movie at all but yet she was like an icon all this time… leading up to the movie…
Ok just some thoughts and comments.. I’m done!
Sharon
January 18th, 2008 at 1:57 am
One more thing.. it was only 5 bucks for the ticket! I thought it would be at least regular price… maybe because it was midnight .. late night discount?
January 18th, 2008 at 2:22 am
First of all, i thought this was sweet for what it was and meant to be, an entertaining monster movie.
I myself didnt feel dizzy or get a headache but everyone i went with did.
I thought it was fun, it wasnt meant to be insightful drama about the human psyche.
You do get to see the monster up close but not till the end, i think thats why Hud just stands there; to finally get a close up.
but whatever for all you haters, matbe you should have paid less attention the hype, because you set your expectations too high. When has any really hyped movie been THAT good.
January 18th, 2008 at 2:24 am
i didnt really pay attention to the blogs. does anyone know why it was titled CLOVERFEILD?
January 18th, 2008 at 3:08 am
Sounds like a pile of s**t
January 18th, 2008 at 3:08 am
^^^^ yeah your right i was thinking the same thing why is it called CLOEVERFIELD another thing on the pictures that are on the website there… most if not all of that was not seen in the film or maybe it was just for the propaganda but i feel like there is more to this movie that we dont know about
January 18th, 2008 at 3:10 am
This movie blows. I just saw it at a midnight screening. Even my friend who I took to see it hated it. The camera shaking bothered him more than me but I just couldn’t get past all the unbelievability.. such as after the helicopter crashed and GODZILLA just happened to be over them.. c’mon he has a whole city to destroy.. so much attention to a few humans.. ug. I liked the angle from the copter and i liked the subway scene with the bugs but we just didn’t get to care about the charactors and YES at the end there was BOOING.. i was one of them. this movie blows!
January 18th, 2008 at 3:12 am
My friend says CLOVERFIELD must mean: “a bad movie with horrible camera footage.”
ha ha
he hated it..
January 18th, 2008 at 4:04 am
here’s something to think about, a film about a monster attacking New York shot in a documentary style as to lend it some authenticity supposedly to make it scarier.
But this monster which selectively smashes up stuff and then decides to hang in town all night and then into the morning. THAT is simply dumb. Even Godzilla stomped off somewhere else.
Also, we might all wish that Digibeta cameras were as amazingly strong as the one this movie was shot with.
Really, if ya gonna be dumb, just be dumb…if you wanna get REAL, be REAL
January 18th, 2008 at 4:30 am
RATING BAD VERY BAD!!
I really need to inform as many as possible….DO NOT WATCH THE MOVIE ‘CLOVERFIELD’!!!!! Seriously B A D!!!!
The movie starts off with someone using a hand held video camera at a party and then passing onto to mate. Both guys are really bad at making videos. At first we thought ok a view from a bad camera’s man angle for a while but as the movie progressed nothing changed just very bad filming and I MEAN BAD!!! So bad it makes you nauseas motion sickness because the filming is all over the place like a drunk person but then into fear and running scenarios. The whole movie was done with a hand held video camera no editing. Interesting sneak shots of a bad big creature etc… could have been a good movie if they stoped with the video camera after the party scene first 15 mins.
But please do your self a favour….go see another movie!!
January 18th, 2008 at 5:28 am
All I can say is the guy who made this is a very smart man because the movie is one of the worst movies of the year and he’s going to make a ton of money off it. They hardly spent any money making this and it shows, I suggest anyone who wants to watch it to download it from a torrent site in a few days because this a C- movie at best.
Ya have to love money because the man is stealing money from suckers with his low budget movie. I think they spent more on advertising then they spent to make the movie and they will never do a remake because it sucked so bad they no nobody will watch it..
I think the only people hyping it up are being paid to do it, watched it and hated it and want others to waste money or they were so hyped they just can’t admit it’s the worst movie of 2008.
January 18th, 2008 at 5:30 am
That movie made my Butthole pucker up.
January 18th, 2008 at 9:01 am
The name Cloverfield is what Central Park was renamed after it was nuked. That is where the “film” was found. The beginning text explained it all, you only had to read.
January 18th, 2008 at 9:27 am
Saw it for free; still not worth it.
What’s worse than a familiar plot, boring characters whose fates you could care less about, special effects from ten years ago, and then not even finding out what happens at the end? Well, if you have all that, then add a shaky hand-held camera as your vantage point for the entire show, then that’s worse. It was headache inducing to watch; you might find yourself feeling a bit physically disoriented. (Yes, I know that this was part of the point; but it just doesn’t work, and psychological disorientation would be more interesting.)
The monster looks like the animators stole the cave troll from LOTR Fellowship, pulled out a tail, stretched its arms to force it to walk almost crablike, and scaled it up several stories. Not scary, not compelling, and would elicit no interest without the artificially induced hype precipitated by the hand-held camera gimmick and by the hope that this would be a way to market to today’s hip YouTube crowd. Well, the YouTube crowd is smarter than that, and still wants to see a movie in the middle of all of the detritus of smashed buildings, bridges, and military matériel.
Maybe that’s why there were groans and exlamations of “What?!” when the movie ended. Destined to take its place along the forgettable B-movies of the past. Remember those? Thought not.
January 18th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Cloverfield: Funniest Movie of the Year.
January 18th, 2008 at 10:09 am
Why do viewers keep calling this a movie? It was shot as a “found” video of what happened from the videographers’s point of view. Put yourself in his place. You’re the one taping the party and then documenting this disaster. Do you think yours will be better? Are you looking for steadycam shots? If you’re looking for a beginning, middle and end this is not the movie to see.
January 18th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Warning Wrning
******Ending spoiler******
For those who saw the movie and were wondering where the monster came from, I’ll give you my hypothesis. If one watched carefully at the last shot where Rob and Beth are in ferris wheel at Coney Island, watch the right hand side of the view over the water, just before the camera pans back to Beths face. Did you see the large, black object fall out of the sky Into the water? I say its not native to the planet.. I also thought that the ending had a nice sense of ironey in which the two last people on the tape also happened to be there when this thing arrived a month earlier.
January 18th, 2008 at 10:42 am
[brat4you Says:
Why do viewers keep calling this a movie? It was shot as a “found†video of what happened from the videographers’s point of view. Put yourself in his place. You’re the one taping the party and then documenting this disaster. Do you think yours will be better? Are you looking for steadycam shots? If you’re looking for a beginning, middle and end this is not the movie to see.]
Wow, how insightful–it wasn’t a movie that we all saw, just a piece of reality. So there was no script, no actors, rehearsals, sets, budget, crew, filming, direction, production, special effects, editing, promotion, theater screenings, ticket fees, etc.; it’s just a found artifact, and the monster was real–no creative types had to ever make a decision, because they don’t exist.
Do you have any idea how films are made? Hint: those are not really, really small people that live inside your TV set.
January 18th, 2008 at 11:40 am
I saw the movie on thursday night. It was very good, we are used to movies to where a monster appeares and destories stuff and the military kills it. He wanted to make a differnet kind of style something that we think of but dont want to be in that position. The movie was based on what would happen in real life. If you had a camera and something major happen in your city, you would do the exact samething. Storyline dont need it, it just people scared as hell trying to get away. Once you see the movie, just picture it as if you were there. That how he wanted you to feel like, not some big star movie knowing that everything is fake. Everything seemed real like it actually took place at 6:42 AM lol
January 18th, 2008 at 11:45 am
As they say .. it’s only a movie. Fantasy at that. And if you decide to be part of the fantasy the experience would be more rewarding. The intro to the movie claims it to be a found artifact and accepting that you step into that reality; and sure there was a script, directing, etc.,etc., etc., but to try to make more of what it is or isn’t you’re only short changing yourself and your movie experience.
January 18th, 2008 at 11:55 am
This had to be the worst movie I have ever seen,No plot,no excitement,75 mintues of a 19 year old girl screaming in a Sony handycam.And by the way no refund on the movie cost……………..
January 18th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
cloverfield will surely not break box office records. i saw it last night. it was funny that when the movie ended i knew it was over and my son and i are up and leaving and so many people were still in their seats, staring at the screen, expecting more. a huge blockbuster movie requires repeat viewings by mass amounts of people. watch this movie drop 70% in box office revenue next weekend.
January 18th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Samwise, you are probably correct about it dropping at the box office… it takes a certain type of person to appreciate the movie for what it is.
I too sat there last night at the end looking for something
else.. as did just about everyone in the theatre..
BUT .. I did because of the way JJ marketed this show.. so I thought he might “slip” something in.. just something… just because he could .. :))
I liked the movie! As I mentioned prior .. It held my attention!
Sharon
January 18th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
wow everyone thats hating on cloverfeild because of the camera work is such a pussy. why the hell did u go to see it if u dont like shaky cameras. did you even watch the commercials?? retards…
January 18th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
I agree SD. it did hold my attention too,mainly because i was waiting for a long, continous full shot of the monster which never came.:(
January 18th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
• A Great Concept Wasted!!!… A great idea to tell the story from the perspective of citizens… Not Scientists….. Not News Reporters…. And Not Some Military General….. If even some of the film was shot in conventional format, if just to give you a steady view of the creature or even the parasites, it would have satisfied me, and most monster movie die-hards… The monster was original; I must give the design team their kudos for their job. It was good to see that the monster didn’t breathe fire, or have laser eyes, and so forth… Also, as to where the creature came from???… In the final scene when the two love-birds / best-friends, are at Coney Island in the Ferris wheel car, as Rob turns on the camera, if you look in the background, from the top right hand side of the screen what appears to be a meteor or object falls from the sky and splashes into the water in the distance. You can clearly see it… I asked the guy sitting next to me in the theater if he saw it but he missed it… Look for it and you won’t…. Maybe I’m old fashioned, and traditional, but I’ve got a Love / Hate thing going on with this film right now…. Great Concept, great perspective… Just not steady enough for me!!!… The hand-held camera action in its entirety hurts the film in my opinion…..
January 18th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
For those who keep saying this was not a MOVIE, but was supposed to be filmed like real life… get a grip! the makers of this film could have made it a bit more comfortable for the viewers by not making it so damned shaky! that was a bit rediculous. I almost had to leave at the half way point but I toughed it out. There were a few people less fortunate who had to go and toss up their $8.00 popcorn. I just turned my head away from the screen…oddly enough, I don’t feel like I missed much!! overhyped, stupid movie. I was more scared watching Creature Double Feature when I was a kid! not even rental worthy! CRAP
January 18th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
This is one of the worst movies ever made. This is going to go down in history as another blair witch. all that hype for nothing, what a letdown. hollywood you should be ashamed. i really think that hollywood is just making crap to see how many people will see it. i was ripped off and i want my money back.
January 18th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
I saw this movie at a midnight showing last nigt/this morning.
Its creative, and unique.
It also gave me a headache, but it made me scream in the theatre.
I hated it, but at the same time I liked it.
But its a movie you HAVE TO SEE IN THEATRES WITH LOTS OF PEOPLE!
Because a handful of friends, and some random others will be boring. Trust me on that.
But all in all. 6/10
January 18th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
****SPOILER*****
o yeah. I laughed so hard when Hud thought that the monster was dead, and they were gonna live happily ever after. Then the chopper crashed.
i think i was the only one in the whole theatre though…
January 18th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
@ all who have seen it:
I’m still deciding if I wanna see it. And I’m wondering it they took into account how easy it would be to escape this monster. Besides the people in its immediate vacinity, I can’t figure out why people didn’t just run/drive away. I’m also suprised how many negative reviews there are. I laughed my ass off when it was projected as possibly one of the highest grossers of 08(profit yes, but never grossing, especially in 08:tdk, iron man, hulk, potter, etc). Is it really that bad? If its supposed to be ‘real’ do they account for how easy it would be to escape a lumbering giant? Ive heard about the little monsters, but can’t you just run em over? Thanks guys.
January 18th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
All you haters have no reason to hate, obviously ITS NOT A MOVIE ABOUT THE MONSTER get it through your heads people. if your going into that movie believeing thats what its about well then you should leave right then and there. its a movie based on the people. yes you see the monster, yes you hear the monster, but its not about the monster at all. if you go into that movie with this knowledge you’ll actually enjoy it even more.
so dont hate. literally. its the people…not the monster.
:]
January 18th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Yes we hate the people, not the monster.
He doesn’t kill them soon enough..
When the lovers are finally buried under the rubble I felt absolutely nothing.
Dont blame the haters for being more intelligent than you.
January 18th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
honestly, just because you didnt like it doesnt mean you can prance around here thinking your totally setting a good example of being intellectual.
i never said you had to hate the people smart one, i said its about them. who cares if you felt or didnt feel anything for them when they were smashed. this movie is their point of view, and how they try to survive this whole assessment, who cares if you didnt like them, or you hated the handheld shaking camera. cause you saw the commercials you knew somewhat of what you were getting yourself into so your the intelligent one now, really. just because you were dissapointed at a movie doesnt mean you can go all emo on us and spill out how you feel.
and anyways.
im talking about the people that are coming in there thinking its a horribly gorey monster flick full of on screen monster sightings and what not. durr.
if your gonna try to talk off to me, at least read what i said carefully to actually see the meaning i was trying to inflict on people, that you shouldnt go in there thinking its going to be unoriginal and all expected monster gore.
January 18th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
the day i “feel” something for an actor playing a role in a movie that isnt based on a real person and the real events surrounding that person shoot me in the fuckin head…its a movie people, get a grip…it was an escape from the real stresses of the real world(some of yall have surely heard of it) for a little over an hour…no more, no less…i enjoyed it, others didnt…big deal…i feel quite certain that if you did a study of who liked it and who didnt, you would have quite a range of intelligence…the truly smart ones realize its just a movie, plain and simple and probably dont analyze the film frame by frame…
January 18th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
You’ve hit the nail on the head, Cap’n Pugwash….they were such an unlikeable group of people, I didn’t care at all when they died.
As for those banging on about it “not being a movie”, I saw it in a packed movie theatre where I was charged AU$17 for the privilege.That smells like a movie to me! Maybe I should have torrented it instead…it probably would have been a much more satisfying and “real” way to see it.
I have since heard that there was a tiny audio grab at the very end of the credits, saying “It’s still alive”.
Can anyone confirm this?
January 18th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
I couldn’t really follow the movie because i was forced to look at the ground in front of me so I wouldnt pass out. It gave me a HUGE migrane, I understand the point of having the camera like that but I almost had a dang seizure.
The movie itself was lame and blah, the guy cared more for a girl than his own brother which was odd.
But sheesh my head is still hurting, I walked out of the theatre wanting to puke from all the shaking.
January 18th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
Wow, what a bunch of critics we have here. The movie wasn’t THAT bad. Actually I thought it was pretty good, especially the sound. It wasn’t so much scary than it was intense. In a way the military and their weapons were scarier than the monster. And yes, it was almost exactly like “The Blair Witch Project”, even down to the ending. I wasn’t very impressed with the monster, I have no idea what it was supposed to be but I thought it looked like a lizard with a fangfish head and and crab legs. Blah!! They should have at least had the monster use the same howl/scream that twas in the first trailer, this guy just sounded like a Jurrasic Park Dino.
January 18th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
is anybody really still confused over the not being a movie-movie premise? as in, not having a convenient beginning, middle, and end? theres no plot development because real life(as is intended to be caputred as much as possible in a movie) has no plot…if someone filmed my daily routine, you would REALLY be bitching about the lack of a definitive plot…you would probably wonder where i came from, why i am the way i am, and what happens to me after the camera stops rolling…thats natural i guess…thats all this film is - a snapshot in time…no more, no less…i kinda appreciate this film more for that reason…perhaps the marketing was too sophisticated…i cant believe im becoming one of those people who wastes their time on a message board arguing over the merits of a movie…buddah help me…
January 18th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
whoa! I have never seen such anger on the /film boards! I think its funny how everyone forgets that there is no right or wrong in film opinions.
January 18th, 2008 at 5:41 pm