Jun 16, 2008 By Mr. Macabre 4 min read

J.J. Abrams (“Lost” and “Alias”) produces the perfect creature feature for the YouTube and MySpace generation. Bolstered with an attractive cast of Abercrombie & Fitch model clones, Abrams tells the story from the personal point of view of a hand-held camcorder. Yes, it’s been done before – most notably in “The Blair Witch Project.” But unlike “Blair Witch,” the camera shots demand more movement, and cover a much wider territory in “Cloverfield.” The story opens innocently enough with our twentysomething trendsetters throwing a farewell party for the main character who is leaving for Japan to start a new job. Wanting to document the occasion as a send-off gift, his friends record a series of standard goodbye and good luck video messages as the party heads into high gear. The mood in the swanky Soho apartment turns from celebratory to gory as a series of explosions cause confusion and pandemonium, forcing the guests to retreat to the street to find out the cause. Once outside, they are nearly crushed by the enormous head of the Statue of Liberty as it comes sliding to a dramatic stop in the middle of the street. The bodiless image of Lady Liberty brings to mind the unsettling image from the ending of “The Planet of the Apes,” while reminding us of the fragility of our freedom in today’s global environment. A shocking reminder of the events of 9/11 is witnessed as the stunned crowd helplessly watches the mighty Woolworth Building effortlessly come crumbling to the ground.

Suddenly it becomes a race to safety as the five friends follow the migrating mass of frantic citizens to the Brooklyn Bridge in search of refuge. In a plot twist, the lead character leaves the retreating crowd (with friends in tow) to rescue his girlfriend from her high-rise entrapment near Columbus Circle.

So what’s creating all the fuss? Let’s just say, this isn’t your father’s Godzilla wreaking havoc on the city. Viewers are shown several quick glimpses of the creature, which slowly allow each viewer to individually piece together the total creature package. Throughout the film, there is only one prolonged shot of the villain. Unfortunately, this shot almost does more harm than good as it presents the unearthly being in a comic book manner. Spine-chilling sequences showing miniature parasite creatures escaping from inside the reptilian titan add yet another dimension of total creepiness to the film. The subway tunnel scene, featuring these menaces with spider-like movements, will surely unnerve you.

By far, the most talked about feature of the film is the camera technique. While the hand-held footage adds a you-are-there authenticity to the film, it can serve as a major distraction with its shaky and sweeping movements – to the point of nausea. Fortunately, there is enough action to take your mind (and stomach) off the amateur camera movements. The visuals depicting the destruction New York City are stunning. Scenes of Bloomingdale’s, Grand Central Station, Coney Island, Spring Street Station and the Time Warner Center are familiar sites to most visitors and add a sense of reality to the storyline. One exceptionally disheartening shot focuses on a lone horse slowly pulling an empty carriage down the middle of the street from Central Park. This brief footage contains all the feelings of despair and finality that epitomize the surrounding carnage.

If you pay close attention to the story, the ending shouldn’t come as a surprise. While I found the closing to be refreshing and honest, some may feel cheated or unfulfilled. Whatever your point of view is concerning the ending, it undeniably leaves room for a sequel.

After all the discussions have died down, I’m confident audiences will find “Cloverfield” to be an American Monster, Sci-Fi, Action movie classic. Whatever “Cloverfield” is, it’s won me over. I give it 9 out of 10 stars for a total entertainment experience.