Cloverfield (Paramount DVD–Video)

 

Picture: B-     Sound: B-     Extras: B-     Film: B-

 

 

If J.J. Abrams can bring anything to his work it is ‘buzz factor.’  Between viral marketing campaigns and subtle, yet captivating teaser trailers, Abrams Cloverfield was a success before it even hit theaters.  With fans all over the world intrigued by Cloverfield’s creative marketing venture, audiences rushed to theaters to see what all the monstrous fuss was about.  And whereas the short and to the point film may have been a lot about nothing, it surely delivered an interesting experience that was worth the price of admission.

 

The story of Cloverfield starts as normal as any other Manhattan night for Rob Hawkins (Michael Stahl-David) on the night of his surprise going away party, before he leaves for his new job overseas.  A bunch of Rob’s friends, his brother, and even a love interest (Beth, played by Odette Yustman) show up for the ‘going away’ event; though it seems to be weighing on Rob’s mind that Beth arrived with another man on her arm.  The night’s social event ends abruptly when the lights flicker and the ground shakes; the party suddenly moves to the streets to uncover why the city has burst into unbridled commotion. 

 

The entire movie is filmed with one camera from the perspective of an apparently devoted partygoer named Hud (Rob’s best friend), who feels that the chaotic Manhattan events must be documented.  The film goes through a whirlwind of fast paced, frenzied emotion that holds the viewers attention from beginning to end.  From an array of scare tactics to pure chaos the film is a fun ride.  There are monsters and things blowing up; what more could you want? Think if you were on ‘Star Tours’ with Godzilla chasing you at the same time.

 

This reviewer does not think that Cloverfield fully lived up to expectations, but was interesting nevertheless.  The intriguing part of Cloverfield was mostly the idea of the ‘unknown,’ but once everyone realized they were about to watch an ‘odd filmed’ monster flick, a bit of the excitement dissipated.  Abrams started this film with the supposed intention that America could now have its ‘own monster’ (King Kong and Rosie O’Donnell don’t count).  Whereas Abrams made a gallant effort, nothing in Cloverfield’s 30 story beast screamed memorable or iconic, but nice try.  I personally would prefer the ‘smoke monster’ from LOST.  Overall, the film was enjoyable and held this reviewer’s interest for the short running time of 84 minutes; 'nough said.

 

The technical features on this simple single disc release of Cloverfield (expect many special editions for sure) are no beast, but certainly not a beauty.  The picture is presented in a 1.78 X 1 Widescreen enhanced for 16 X 9 televisions that whereas harsh at times, maintains the level of ‘camcorder’ grittiness that the filmmakers desired.  Whereas the filming style was intended to be gritty and ‘natural’ it is clear that the image was altered in postproduction to enhance the quality, but even with that there are moments of unintended light/dark and contrast issues.  The image even with these mild inconsistencies (intended or otherwise) is still nice.  The sound is presented in a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround that whereas it is booming and places the viewer right in the center of the action, the soundstage does not always utilize the full surround experience like it had in theaters and could use a revisit; on a side note, prepare to have your subwoofer rumble like never before.

 

The extras are on the level of many other basic DVD releases, offering fans a chance to see a couple of alternate endings that are not as good as the theatrical ending, some deleted scenes that neither add nor detract from the film, outtakes that should rest in peace, an informative and interesting Audio Commentary track from director Matt Reeves, and several featurettes that dive into the making of, the visual effects, and the monster of the film.  The featurettes are interesting but lack a rewatchable quality that this reviewer finds necessary.  The Audio Commentary by Matt Reeves is fast paced, informative, and expresses the emotions of the director throughout the entire film.  With a good level of enthusiasm and even a few mentions of regret, Matt Reeves delivers a solid commentary.

 

Whereas some lighter stomached fans may need to bring their motion sickness bag to the couch with them, most viewers will find the Cloverfield experience to be fun, intriguing, and fast paced.  In a time where film makers refuse to cut anything from there films, Matt Reeves’ Cloverfield only runs 84 minutes long, but delivers a solid showing that fans across the board can enjoy.  J.J. Abrams is a visionary in many senses with his creative and suspenseful style and Cloverfield is no exception to his seemingly never ending brilliance.

 

 

-   Michael P. Dougherty II