10 Cloverfield Lane easily one of the best early movies of the year with nail-biting tension that rivals Hitchcock himself
I think Cloverfield is a movie that got better with age. Despite the questionable decisions of characters and odd editing choices, it was a generally entertaining disaster movie. However, its “spiritual sequel” is changing the way we see franchises. 10 Cloverfield Lane has the same DNA as Cloverfield. It has the same mood, but it is not found footage or directly connected to the original in any way. It is simply placed in the same universe. However, I wouldn’t call 10 Cloverfield Lane a monster movie.
10 Cloverfield Lane tells the story of Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a young woman who never seems to stop running away from her problems, as she leaves New Orleans after an argument with her boyfriend. She gets into a horrifying car crash (and I truly mean horrifying) and wakes up shackled to a bed in a concrete cell. She is told by her captor, Howard (John Goodman) that the country has been attacked and that the air is toxic. He pulled her from the wreck and brought her to his fallout bunker that he has been developing for years. He also casually drops that they may be in there for 1-2 years. From there, trust is a currency between Michelle, Howard, and the bunker’s third occupant, Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.). The latter two are trying to determine whether Howard is telling the truth or whether he is a crazed man that is head deep in his own delusions.
That last sentence is just one comparison to draw to Hitchcock’s Psycho. Outside the obvious fact that both films follow a woman who is running away from her problems, stylistically director Dan Trachtenberg heavily borrows from Hitchcock. The opening scene is the best example. The first 15 minutes or so of the movie is almost completely devoid of dialogue and the first five is scored with an epic, sweeping orchestral overture by Bear McCreary, who is best known for his work in television. The entire story is told through visuals. We don’t know why Michelle is running away right at the beginning, but we know she’s frantic. It’s not until we hear a call from her boyfriend (voiced by Bradley Cooper), that we know why she’s running away.
Also, just like Hitchcock, Trachtenberg pays as much attention to sound as he does the absence of sound, which is best exemplified in the opening sequence when the music drops out as Michelle stops at a gas station. She knows something is off and so do we.
The movie is structured like a three-actor play. It was filmed chronologically, which I think added to the performances. Mary Elizabeth Winstead seems to elevate the material she’s given. With movies like “Final Destination 3” and “The Thing” on her resume, she’s easily the best part of either of those movies. So when she’s given great material like in this movie or in the Sundance movie “Smashed,” she really shows her skills as an actress. She show’s Michelle’s insecurities, but also hints at moments of bravery. She’s the best kind of protagonist because you root before because you truly care about her rather than being forced to care about her. It’s also refreshing to not have to yell at the screen when your main character does something stupid.
John Goodman, the greatest supporting actor as some have called him, perhaps gives one of the best performances of his career. So much of the film hinges on whether or not you trust Howard. And trust me, Goodman does an incredible job making you question yourself. He is legitimately terrifying but has enough depth for you to understand his internal struggle. He grabs you, shakes you, and leaves you still questioning what happened to Howard to make him this way.
With two heavy hitters to contend with, John Gallagher Jr. held up as the heart of the group. Emmett, whose journey into the bunker seems almost as hectic as Michelle’s, demonstrates the movie’s ability to balance so many genres. His line, “I live my life in a 40-mile radius,” sums up this theme of regret that runs through the character study vein of the movie.
However, the movie itself is hard to classify. Yes, it’s a character study, but it also works as a psychological thriller, horror, and sometimes even a comedy if you look at the camp of it. 10 Cloverfield Lane is one of the few great early year movies. However, there’s so much in play that made it that. Its adaptation from its original screenplay that was titled “The Cellar” also stripped away some of the inevitable twists that are so often engrained in psychological thrillers and opts instead to use its characters to ratchet up tension. Is the Cloverfield connection really necessary? No. Not by a long shot. But that’s what makes the movie even more satisfying in the end. “10 Cloverfield Lane” shows that sequels can truly standalone without anything owed to its predecessor. Take note, Hollywood.
8.5/10
10 Cloverfield Lane is available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and digital on Amazon!
Hey, I'm Karl, founder and film critic at Smash Cut. I started Smash Cut in 2014 to share my love of movies and give a perspective I haven't yet seen represented. I'm also an editor at The New York Times, a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, and a member of the Online Film Critics Society.