10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

After getting in a car accident, a woman is held in a shelter with two men, who claim the outside world is affected by a widespread chemical attack.

Jess’ Review

As lockdown drags into it’s third month, I realise more and more how wildly Sam and I’s taste in films differ. He likes a comedy, or perhaps a smart action flick. I like horror and movies that push away from normal conventions (for better or worse.) So instead of spending a half hour arguing over what to watch, I took matters into my own hands and whacked a film on before he could debate it. He did, of course, but it was too late - we’d already begun 10 Cloverfield Lane.

A cousin of the Cloverfield franchise, 10 Cloverfield Lane switches up the monsters for a deep dive into psychological horror, all set within the confines of a safety bunker. Our heroine, Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) awakens disorientated from a car accident to find herself sheltered below-ground by two strangers, Howard (John Goodman) and Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.) They soon reveal that there’s been a devastating - possibly nuclear attack, in the US which now leaves the air deadly with contamination. Michelle can’t leave. It’s a simple but intriguing plot, oozing with tension and a quiet foreboding. It’s a puzzle of truth and deceit, with the audience soon left questioning the sincerity of Howard’s hospitality.

John Goodman is brilliant. So accustomed to his comedy legacy, it’s impressive to see him tackle a more sinister role. He plays Howard with a deadly intensity, wandering within the grey area of what constitutes ‘normal’ behaviour in an apocalyptic environment. The character is volatile, and Goodman’s looming presence deftly accentuates the unease. His role is easily the standout, though both Winstead and Gallagher Jr. put in valiant performances.

The tone is fantastically unnerving. From start to finish, there is sense of dread saturating our screens. A mystery woven within the horror elements, 10 Cloverfield Lane stays engaging even in its moments of calm. You always feel as if something isn’t quite right. And it’s a sensation I live for when it comes to thrillers!

Whilst somewhat predictable at times, the film still manages to throw some curveballs and leave us pondering its next move. It’s a gripping script, executed with calculated precision. Playing with juxtaposing images of bleak claustrophobic cells aside a slightly-retro familial home, director Dan Trachtenberg’s talents shine when it comes to setting the mood. There is a horror in the unseen and the unknown. And when we start to scratch below this sunny surface, we might fear what we find.

Whilst I confess that I didn’t particularly enjoy the ending (it’s dramatic shift into sci-fi territory felt jarring), I otherwise thoroughly enjoyed 10 Cloverfield Lane. It’s exemplary in building suspense, toying with the viewer’s sense of reality as much as it does poor Michelle’s.

7/10

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Sam’s Review

With malice in her eyes, Jess clawed the remote from my hand. Screaming, a banshee embodied, that I play it too safe with my film choices, she dashed my hopes of having an opinion and instead chose for us. At least, that’s my version.

10 Cloverfield Lane. Apparently it’s a franchise with many Cloverfield films residing in it’s universe. Yet I have not seen any of them. It starts weirdly, perhaps because I am unfamiliar with the predecessors. Though Jess assures me that it won’t make a difference.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s character Michelle isn’t especially likeable from the set up. It is alleged that she abandons her fiancé after a simple argument. However, it is easy to feel for her considering her situation. Sticking with likeability, and I hate to admit this as the actor is a legend, John Goodman’s Howard isn’t remotely affable. Though the apparent saviour of Michelle, he is weirdly reticent and seemingly untrustworthy.

Around 30 minutes in, it’s clear that everything isn’t as it seems. Which is a problem I have with thriller-type films. Too obvious in their deceit.

Around the middle point, the film starts to drag a little. The crew has found a new norm, and it’s a little boring. Plus, I can’t shake the feeling that something is off. But, soon the plot stutters into life again, just in time for things to start going wrong.

Goodman’s eerie, authoritative presence, the background music and the frantic pacing blend into a panicked crescendo. Suspense rises gradually, as it’s clear there is danger lurking, and we’re led down a path that hints at things being wrong, without giving away what is around the corner. This results in a gripping film. Though, the characters could’ve used more backstory, allowing us to connect more.

Essentially this is two films mashed together. The premise, being held in a shelter while the world falls apart is engrossing. And Dan Trachtennburg does a decent job of keeping a level of mystery that has you constantly guessing at what is really happening. However, while the ending is interesting, it‘s as if we’re stepping into a totally different film. The tone changes, the world changes. And it isn’t a particularly satisfying ending to the story. Also, cramming these two films together led to lazy writing. There were plotholes aplenty.

If they’d focused more on the primary story, without forcing this into the Cloververse, there was potential to be an outstanding film. Goodman’s performance is stellar, yet there was a troubled layer that we never got to delve into. A film that doesn’t seem to know itself, but builds great tension with a disjointed payoff.

5.5/10