A fair warning: don’t go into 10 Cloverfield Lane expecting anything resembling a follow-up to its shaky-cam predecessor. They bear little resemblance to one another. Producer J.J. Abrams has done his utmost to temper expectations by referring to this new film as a “spiritual successor," not a direct sequel. Mostly, I think he’s just trying to cover his ass for essentially hijacking an un-related screenplay and slapping it with the Cloverfield brand. It must have seemed like a surefire way to secure some box office dollars and get a nice little payday for himself and the original film’s creative team. Hey, don’t judge. The director of the highest grossing domestic film of all time has gotta pay the bills somehow.
Even though it doesn’t have much to do with the original Cloverfield, you should still make the effort to see 10 Cloverfield Lane. It is a superb thriller and will keep you riveted from its shocking opening scenes to its nail-biting conclusion.
Following a rough car accident, Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) wakes to finds herself in the care of Howard (John Goodman), a quietly terrifying roly-poly of a man. Calling Howard a bit of a nut would be an understatement. He’s extremely paranoid and has spent a good chunk of his time and money building an underground shelter in anticipation of some kind of impending doom. That doom, he explains, has finally come to pass and he refuses to let Michelle out of the bunker, insisting it’s for her own safety. Though he claims he means well, Michelle can’t be sure if he’s telling the truth or just plain crazy. With the help of the shelter’s other resident/inmate Emmet (John Gallagher, Jr.), Michelle begins to plot her escape and discover the truth for herself.
That’s about as much as I can tell you without giving away significant plot details. Do yourself a favor and avoid spoilers like the plague; its surprises are worth the effort. With his feature debut, director Dan Trachtenberg proves himself a natural talent. (I shall be watching his career with great interest!) He does an excellent job wringing every ounce of suspense from the claustrophobic setting. It’s amazing that, despite taking place in a single location, he manages to keep things from growing stale with compelling staging, cinematography and production design.
Of course, it helps when the screenplay you’re working with is so strong. Written by Josh Campbell and Matt Stuecken with a little help from Whiplash writer/director Damien Chazelle, 10 Cloverfield Lane successfully balances heart-stopping thrills with effective character development and humor. It’s perfectly paced and always involving; you will never be bored.
The casting is perfect. Mary Elizabeth Winstead gives a sympathetic turn as Michele. It recalls Sigourney Weaver’s in Alien, and when it comes to cinematic heroines, that’s about the highest compliment you can give. As Emmet, John Gallagher, Jr. is immediately likable and empathetic.
And then there’s John Goodman.
Mr. Goodman has, time and time again, proven he is one of the greats — an impeccable character actor who never quite seems to get the attention he deserves from mainstream audiences. His performance here is stunning. In Goodman’s hands, Howard never fully loses his humanity, which makes him all the more terrifying.
If 10 Cloverfield Lane makes any missteps, it’s in a slightly jarring 3rd Act. While undeniably effective on its own terms, it can’t help but feel a bit unearned considering its lack of relationship to everything which preceded it. It’s not enough to derail the movie by any means, but I’m sure film fans will take great pleasure in debating whether or not it was necessary.
One thing that won’t be the subject of much debate is whether or not 10 Cloverfield Lane is any good. It is. It’s better than good — it’s one of the best films of 2016 thus far. Don’t miss it.
FINAL RATING: 4.5/5
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