10 Cloverfield Lane

Starring: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman, John Gallagher Jr.

Directed By: Dan Trachtenberg

Written By: Josh Campbell, Matthew Stuecken, Damien Chazelle

Reviewed by Brendan Dousi

[rating: 4/5]

I love a good suspense film. It has actually been a while since I’ve truly felt a sense of dread and suspense in a film. Mostly because most films haven’t dont it very well lately, and partly because the bloody trailer always gives it away. This is what worked so well with 10 Cloverfield Lane. It had mystery about it, it was only officially announced about a month before it’s release and even then it gave a trailer that showed enough to intrigue us yet not enough to truly spoiler anything and I absolutely love Paramount and the filmmakers for being brave enough to do that. It’s becoming exceedingly rare in today’s interenet age and a film like this is only better off for it.

I am absolutely in love with this film’s premise. It’s a perfect horror movie scenario. The best horror/suspense films, in my opinion, are ones that boil everything down to it’s simplest form. They usually have one location, a situation in which the protagonist is stuck in this location with little to no chance of escape. Here we have a fallout shelter in a (supposed) apocalyptic scenario. Check. You have to have a vulnerable, yet strong lead for the audience to root for, someone who gets the absolute shit kicked out of them but fights on to the bitter end and learns an important emotional lesson along the way. Here we have Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a fashion design student who has just gotten out of a bad relationship, survived a car crash and finds herself locked in a bunker at the end of the world and still manages to have a sense of humour and charisma. Check. Then you have to have the villain, the ominous force that teases, taunts and goads the main character. A presence that not only tests the main character, but also manages to give the audience the willies. Is it John Goodman’s turn as Howard the potentially deranged doomsday prepper or is it Michelle’s own need to find out what really happened outside the bunker walls, if anything is happening at all? You’ll have to go and see for yourself. As I said, being trapped in a bunker with a potentially psychotic man at the end of the world is one hell of a presence and the film pulls it off wonderfully.

It’s not all smooth sailing, however. The pacing can be a little slow at times, with the film definitely dragging towards the end of the first act after the initial arrival at the bunker. It’s a short and simple story, and it’s almost as if the film felt the necessity to pad things out a little too much to fill out the running time. Hell, I don’t care if the film is 50 minutes as long as it works. Now, I don’t want to spoil the ending. Something big happens, you know it’s going to, it couldn’t not happen with a name like 10 Cloverfield Lane, but what does happen is quite a jarring change of pace and is so out there and ridiculous that it may catch you a little off guard. Just be warned, sit back and just let it happen. It’s actually quite spectacular, and in a way I wish they had taken things a bit further.

Now, a film like this could be a complete bust if it doesn’t have some truly incredible performances holding it together. There’s only really three characters here. Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.) is delightful as a cheery comic relief character, a ex-athlete turned contruction worker who helped Howard build the bunker. He’s a welcome light presence and is played wonderfully and with a twinkle in his eye by Gallagher who does his best work to date. Winstead is absolutely fantastic as Michelle. A true anchor for the film who potrays a much needed air of capability to match her vulnerability. It also helps that Winstead has what I like to call “Horror Eyes”. Those big, round eyes that work wonderfully widened in terror. Watch the film, you’ll see what I’m talking about! Finally, this film would not nearly be as good as it is without the phenomenal performance John Goodman gives as Howard. Every quirk, every stunted sentence, the way he moves and the inflections in his mannerisms and voice. Goodman becomes this poor, damaged man and it truly is wonderful and eerie to behold.

That’s about all I’m willing to say about 10 Cloverfield Lane, and I’m already worried that I’ve said too much. A film like this is an experience. Don’t research it before going in, don’t expect anything from it. Just go in, sit back and enjoy the stroll down Cloverfield Lane.