Rating: A-
In the film world, 10 Cloverfield Lane is essentially ‘The House at the End of the Street meets War of the Worlds’. And really, you know a film is doing its job when you forget to eat your Kit-Kat... or alternatively feel too sick to eat your Kit-Kat.
Directed by Dan Trachtenberg (in his directional debut), 10 Cloverfield Lane follows the movements of Michelle (played Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as she leaves her house in New Orleans after an argument with fiancé Ben, to drive through the spooky empty roads of ‘rural’ Louisiana. While acting as the sequel in the Cloverfield movie franchise, I don’t believe one has to have seen the first film to follow this one, (though I have), as I don’t remember much of the first film and this one’s idea is basic enough.
It difficult to not give too much away, but I feel the trailer does that anyhow (do NOT watch the trailer until after the film) so I’m gonna let rip. Michelle has a car crash. She then wakes up in a concrete room, captive to Howard (played by the brilliant John Goodman) and is told the world has basically ended due to an invasion of the chemical kind. Goodman does an impressive job of switching from a messed up, potential criminal to hard done by ex-father who has ‘seen many things’. The fact that I wanted to run from him at one point then give him a big bear hug the next is a complex feeling I think you need to experience for yourself.
The actors worked well together and each scene is cut finely. At one point I made the silly mistake of relaxing because I believed I was about to get bored - I was on the cusp of disliking the film - but a few jump scares, plot twists and frightening dinner conversations slapped me out of it. My palms were sweating the entire time and I’m pretty sure I bruised my flat mate’s arm grabbing it too often. Winstead portrays a super cool heroine who you don’t stop rooting for. I count over twenty times that, were I in her position, I would have given up and died, but her persistence and resourcefulness carries the film to it’s peculiar end. There were some issues I had with storyline, particularly in regards to Howard’s background. I cannot decide if it was laziness or artistic license on the director’s part, but no matter.
This film was surprisingly funny, sensitive and sweet at times and on the whole downright stressful to watch. Would recommend if you want a sore butt from sitting on the edge of your seat for 103 minutes.