10 Cloverfield Lane

photo courtesy of 10cloverfieldlane.com

      The latest thing from superstar J.J. Abram’s production company BAD ROBOT is the horror/thriller/adventure film 10 Cloverfield Lane. It combines the talents of an excellent cast, the tension of a confined setting, and the creative genius of producer Abrams and screenwriter Drew Goddard to make a shoestring-budget gem. The movie is not without faults, but generally provides a refreshing and engaging movie experience.

SPOILER-FREE REVIEW

     10 Cloverfield Lane tells the story of Michelle, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, as she attempts to untangle a web of mystery and deception after a terrible car accident. She’s rescued from the wreckage by Howard, John Goodman, who takes her into his ultra-self-sustaining underground bunker and tells her that there’s been an apocalypse-level disaster in the world outside. They’re joined in the bunker by Emmett, played by John Gallagher Jr. It’s up to Michelle to figure out a) if Howard can be trusted, and b) if the world outside really is destroyed.

     The whole thing plays like the Stephen King-based masterpiece Misery, which stars Kathy Bates and operates on basically the same premise: someone gets rescued by a Good Samaritan, who may or may not be a psychopathic monster who’s actively trapping them while pretending to offer them help. 10 Cloverfield Lane successfully captures most of what makes that movie so effective: suspense, a touch of graphic violence, and great performances. John Goodman’s chilling role as Howard is all the more unnerving for the funny family man he usually plays. His performance is nuanced: it’s creepy and sympathetic all at the same time. A nice turn for a veteran actor.

photo courtesy of screenrant.com

     The movie takes this framework and then drops it right in the middle of the spirit and universe of the original Cloverfield. The audience is perpetually going back and forth between alternate certainties: that Howard is an odd but nice guy, that Howard is a psychopath, that the apocalypse has dawned, that Howard’s just an old lunatic.

One of the best things about the film is its ability to balance the evolving story and premise with a genuine character-rootedness. Michelle is a badass character, no two ways around it. She’s real enough for the audience to sympathize with, but strong enough to keep the story moving. And the last thing (which is really indicative of the entire film) is that she has plenty of surprises up her sleeve. Time and time again, she does something other than the predictable thing. And it works.

     Should you see it? Yes. It’s probably not everyone’s cup of tea, but if you enjoy thrills and chills, then this movie delivers a top of the line product. If you’re so-so, you could wait til the Blu-Ray/streaming release for sure.

     Should you take your kids? Nope. Violence and scary images.

     Does it err too much toward horror tropes? Yes, possibly. But it recycles them in a fresh way and against an intriguing backdrop.

     Is it a sequel to Cloverfield? Nope, not exactly. The full meaning of that statement can’t be explored without getting into spoilers, which leads us to…

photo courtesy of moviepilot.com

SPOILERY DELICIOUSNESS

     10 Cloverfield Lane does have some of the usual horror suspects, yes. And it does have some things in there that are in there solely for jump scares/shock value, if you’re the kind of person who looks down upon such things (no judgment). The prime example of this would be the abrupt murder of Emmett by Howard, which, although perhaps predictable, still comes as a shock. Is that great screenwriting? Probably not. Do I care? Not really. Then there’s some shameless tension builders, like Howard knifing through the vents as Michelle tries to escape. Not exactly high-brow entertainment, but still fun.

     Aaaand yes, you guessed it, there are aliens. They plop the movie within the same universe, or at least the same kind of universe, as Cloverfield without directly tying into the plot of that movie.

     Having seen the movie, I hope you’ll agree with me that the movie’s ability to deliver this twist at the end was a sign of its engaging, mature plot. With that “bookend,” the movie ends up being more about Michelle’s character and survival in general than the particular issue of Howard and his bunker. It doesn’t feel like a cheap move; it already existed within the realm of possibilities the audience is aware of. And it wasn’t just there for shock value; the film actually explores it at decent length.

     The movie isn’t afraid to make difficult choices or to keep going at breakneck speed. Screenwriter Drew Goddard, who has delivered some excellent work recently (notably, season one of Daredevil), has made his touch noticeable on the film (although apparently the script and final product do differ in some ways). When faced with what would be more interesting or what would be easiest, the film almost always goes in the more challenging direction—which is a plus for audiences.

photo courtesy of polygon.com

     And the film doesn’t waste any time. Whereas Misery takes a while establishing the situation and slowly descends into horror, 10 Cloverfield hits the ground running. Michelle’s escape attempt, seen in trailers for the movie, would naturally be expected to come in act two of the film at earliest, but it comes much, much earlier. We don’t spend too much time on familiar ground, we push forward with the story.

     And that scene ends with a punch: Michelle encountering a dying woman on the outside of the glass and realizing that the apocalypse really has come. The twists keep coming, and some are more or less predictable, but in each case the movie evolves its premise in an interesting way.

     FINAL VERDICT: 10 Cloverfield Lane is an ambitious and mature film put forth by master storytellers. It may lean a little too close on some horror tropes, but refreshes and re-absorbs them in a creative way. Go see it. Do it.