The Skyliner

Issue date: 1/30/08 Section: Entertainment & Features

Thomas Lee
Staff Writer


Cloverfield, JJ Abrams' (Lost, Mission Impossible 3) latest film endeavor, explodes onto the big screen with as much ferocity as the film's skyscraper-sized terror.
The film, which was released on Jan. 18, opens to a young group of New York City residents having a grand time at a party.
The group has no knowledge of the life-threatening monster that is on the verge of attacking the city.
Then, it happens.
The monster emerges, and the movie is propelled to a new level as what is left of the group do their best to survive against the monster, which is not as elusive as the teasers portray.
This is not your standard human-eating monster flick.
The entire movie is filmed through the lens of a single camera, which gives most people the impression that the movie could cause nausea or a headache, especially with buildings falling and the ground quaking with every step of the monster.
However, the film achieves something different, a feeling of helplessness as if stuck in a destroyed New York City with a horrible monster.
Although Cloverfield does not introduce any big-name actor, the newcomers execute the role of running for their lives and being terrified with good ability.
Cloverfield is a little short, running at an hour and twenty-four minutes. But who wants to watch New York City, or any city, be terrorized for more than an hour and a half?
Those 84 minutes, however, are one of the most captivating movies created in recent years.
Cloverfield introduces rising stars Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, TJ Miller and Michael Stahl-David.
The film is rated PG-13 for violence, terror and disturbing images.

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