10 Cloverfield Lane Review

Now, this is a movie I would categorize as both horror and science fiction. Starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead (A Good Day to Die Hard, The Thing (2011) and John Goodman (Monsters Inc, Argo) comes a thriller based mostly in a man's bunker. Its a real character piece that builds on tension rather than graphic violence, though things get more intense near the end.

 All the actors involved are at the top of their game. John Goodman plays Howard, a very mysterious character who you don't know much about. He adds to the tension and really digs into his role. He was very intimidating and real in this movie. Mary is also top notch as she starts out as a person trying to escape and then goes down the Ripley path and turns into a badass. We learn she's also an artist too which is cool.

I know people have been told that this has some connection to the 2009 docudrama titled Cloverfield and while its not a dead on connection, there is a surprise near the end that really turned the movie around.

John Gallagher Jr also plays the part as the other member who wanted to be let in to the bunker. He's a bit of a jokester/wild card. He does become friends with Mary's character Michelle and also helps her uncover a terrifying truth about Howard.

From start to near the end the movie plays straight up like the type of film Hitchcock would direct, even Bear McCreary does a fantastic job with the score. Keeping himself restrained an providing a very delicate and taught score. In a way the film also reminds me of Stephen King's The Mist as it also had a twist ending.

Lined with such discussion possibilities about how one predicts the end of the world and how people can trust one another. Its a great movie to discuss and peal apart its many layers.

With that, 10 Cloverfield Lane is a tension filled hitchcockian thriller with a surprising third act and is quiet the spring surprise!

Rating - A+