Cloverfield

Year: 2008 Rating: PG-13 Overall Evaluation: 8.5 Significance Suppositions Story Style 7.0 / 10 10.0 / 10 8.0 / 10 10.0 / 10 Click HERE for evaluation criteria.

Style

The film is rated PG-13 for violence, terror, and disturbing images. There is also some cursing. None of these elements are gratuitous, though, and this is especially impressive considering the numerous opportunities the filmmakers had for to add it in. It turns out to be completely believable (given the story's premise) without adding objectionable elements "for realism."

Story

The story can be a bit difficult to follow at first as the back story is being told by glitches in the video where the camera failed to completely record over the original material. What begins as an attempt to document a friend's goodbye party turns into a . . .

SPOILER ALERT

. . . race for survival as an enormous creature from the sea attacks the city, killing hundreds if not thousands of people in its wake. The monster is really the setting of the story, however, which actually centers on two characters whose questionable relationship takes an intense turn as they try to escape the city before they are killed by either the army, the monster, or the vile creatures that have followed it up from the sea. In the end, the two characters affirm their love for one another.

Suppositions

The movie is filmed documentary-style (supposedly we are watching a video recording made by an amateur caught up in the events), so what you see is what you get. Once again, objectionable elements were rare even when expected. I was glad to hear nothing of evolution, for example. The army is not villified for its decisions. Not much mention is made of any worldviews per se. It is a refreshingly non-agenda based film.

Significance

The value of friendship and the willingness to sacrifice for loved ones is affirmed throughout the film. Although the relational aspects are toned down due to the frantic pace of the film. Good but not great.