Abrams' monster flick lives up to hype

"Cloverfield"
Starring: Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Jessica Lucas, Lizzy Caplan, T.J. Miller
3 stars out of 4

All of the built up hype for this movie started when the trailer premiered infront of "Transformers" in the Summer. The marketing campaign has been great, as the actual title for the movie hadn't come out until a few months prior. "Cloverfield" is basically a monster movie for the MySpace/YouTube generation, and it worked for me. Think "The Blair Witch Project" meets "Godzilla" and that is what "Cloverfield" is. Not to say that I didn't like it, it was very entertaining, and at times scary.

The film succeeds mainly because of the vision of the film's producer, J.J Abrams, who also created the hit tv series Lost. Abrams and director Matt Reeves create likeable characters, none mainstream, and thrust them into the destruction and chaos of one night in New York City. The film introduces us to the main character Rob, he's moving to Japan for business, as his friends throw a going away party for him a few nights before his departure. There are other characters, the comedic guy, the brother,and the love interest. All are surprised when an earthquake, or so we think erupts in Manhattan causing buildings to collapse along with the head of the Statue of Liberty. We learn that its actually a gigantic monster and as one military commander says, "We don't know what it is, but it's winning."

The film follows this band of friends through streets, tunnels, and buildings in search of survival and a subplot involving Rob's love interest. The most interesting thing about the film isn't the monster, it's the way the film is shot. Everything is seen through a videocamera, as one of the characters is taping everything that is going on. The feeling may turn off viewers, as the camera work is shaky,and confusing at times, but it worked for me. It feels very real as the destruction occurs, almost strangely reminiscent to the 9/11 attacks. This film may rub New Yorkers the wrong way, but as a monster film to kick off the new year, "Cloverfield" works.