Cloverfield DVD Provides New Clues

Posted on April 23, 2008

The DVD of Cloverfield is out and it's well worth buying. We loved the movie and don't have the least bit of problem with the handheld camera work (some people said it made them queasy).

But one of our queasy staff said that for some reason the DVD didn't bother him like seeing it in the theater, and was finally able to sit through the film.

By now, you've heard the premise: the film opens as a classified tape of the Cloverfield incident. The recording is clearly home made, later picked up by the military. A group of twenty-something friends are gathered for a going-away party for Rob (Michael Stahl-David) who is taking a new job in Japan. We are introduced to a soap opera drama of friends, enemies and exes when suddenly in the middle of the party, Manhattan is attacked by a terrible monster. But instead of evacuating the island like most of the population, the group ends up going back to find Rob's ex-girlfriend, Beth (Odette Yustman) who is trapped near the monster. Rob's brother Jason (Mike Vogel) has assigned his best friend friend Hud (T.J. Miller) to videorecord the party and Hud keeps the camera rolling as the adventure progresses.

It's terrifying and funny and wholly unique. The monster's backstory is never explained, which makes it all the more scary. What is it? What does it want? And why can't the military seem to kill it? Incredible CGI, crisp dialogue and good acting make this a ahem, monster hit. By watching closely in the last frame you can get a hint of where the monster came from. But the ending leaves the door wide open for a sequel.

The DVD has some great extras: deleted scenes, alternative endings, outtakes, a "making of" feature, commentary by director Matt Reeves and "hidden research" into the Cloverfield incident.

SCIENCE FICTION