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Where Were You When Cloverfield Hit DVD?

DVD Review: Cloverfield starring Jessica Lucas, T.J. Miller, and Michael Stahl-David

When the trailer for producer J.J. Abrams's latest action-mystery spectacle first hit theaters in July 2007 (attached to the blockbuster Transformers), it quickly became one of the most talked about trailers in recent movie history. It was mysterious, scary, and - most of all - hush-hush, as Abrams and others behind the film, including director Matt Reeves, were keeping the details of this much-anticipated film on the down-low. The Internet became abuzz, wondering what this new movie - known only as Cloverfield - was about. Speculation ran high... as did expectations, as audiences eagerly awaited its January 2008 theatrical release.

This rising anticipation, however, is almost precisely what did this movie in - causing low grosses at the box office and a wide onslaught of critical reviews. It seems that what people almost immediately did was take this movie too seriously - and, ultimately, it became its demise. Sadly, Cloverfield fell prey to what so many others have fallen to before: over-hype... ultimately leading to an underwhelming reception.

Now, however, with the DVD release of Cloverfield, the movie has a chance to make it to the masses, delivering at home what it failed to do in the theaters: thrills, scares, action, and pure entertainment. And let's not beat around the bush, folks: Cloverfield is just that. It's entertaining, scary, thrilling, and action-packed. What it is not, however, is something to be taken seriously.

Cloverfield is an apocalyptic monster tale set in an undeterminable timeframe in New York City. A creature - something larger, stranger, and more powerful than we've ever seen before - attacks N.Y., effectively demolishing anything in its path: from the Brooklyn Bridge to the Statue of Liberty and everything in between. The military intervenes and, eventually, the decision is made to completely level Manhattan in an attempt to derail the monstrous being - and to keep it from taking over the entire population of New York, not to mention the world. Filmed with a similar approach as The Blair Witch Project - with a handheld camera from the viewpoint of a Manhattan resident as he and his friends attempt to escape the destruction - the film feels real and gritty, while also maintaining a campy monster movie vibe. (If you get terribly motion sick, beware.) But most of all, the film succeeds at being scary; I screamed out loud so often that I was hoarse at the end of the movie. And, much to my delight, the fear was due to sheer monstrous terror; this is not a movie that "scares" through a veil of vast amounts blood and gore, but rather creeps up on you like the boogie man underneath your bed.

Critics of Cloverfield have claimed that there are too many likenesses in this story to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in order to be enjoyable - and, I'll admit, that I do see this parallel. (When the lead character is on the phone with his mother, crying and saying that he was "right there when it hit," it lands a bit too close to home.) Whereas I am not a New York resident and was lucky enough to not have a loved one perish on 9/11, I still can certainly see how the images of sheer destruction in New York City could be too real - and perhaps to timely - to entertain. However, I can't imagine that the film's producers meant to be blasé or insensitive by any means; instead, the Special Features on the DVD reveal that Abrams was merely trying to scare the shit out of viewers in a way that was "safe," by showcasing unrealistic - if not terrifying - monsters instead of terrorists. Good scary movies, after all, are a bit realistic - so that viewers can immerse themselves in the story and get genuinely terrified. Cloverfield, in this regard, hit the mark. And so. If you can manage not to take the film too seriously, and are ready to simply sit back and be entertained by a good, old fashioned monster takes Manhattan film, then by all means give this DVD a spin.

The Daily Dawdler Rating: A-

DVD Release Date: 04/22/08. Paramount Pictures, Rated PG-13. Available online at Amazon.com.

Where Were You When Cloverfield Hit?
In celebration of their release of the Cloverfield DVD on April 22nd, Paramount Pictures will launch a user-generated video contest to find out where you were when the Cloverfield Monster attacked. Users will submit video entries of up to five minutes, showing their fictional accounts of what was happening to them when the Cloverfield monster attacked. The entries will be judged by other users and will be narrowed down to the top 3 videos. Cloverfield Director Matt Reeves will choose the grand prize winner. The prize is $4,500 and a Paramount Pictures DVD pack. Users can enter the contest at http://www.whencloverfieldhit.com/.