This weekend, I found the time to watch three movies. The best of these three was easily CLOVERFIELD.

In an interesting decision, mirroring THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT, this movie is told from the Point of View of a video camera. This may get a little confusing, but the Point of View of a video camera that I am referring to is not the actual point of view of where the video camera is shooting. Rather, I am referring to the literary Point of View known as First Person Limited. It just so happens that in this story, that first person is not a person at all.

Hud is generally the person operating the camera, but the story is not truly Hud's POV.

The POV selected is the strongest point of the movie and, strangely enough, its weakest point.

In a true First Person Limited POV, which is what CLOVERFIELD is, we see the story unfold only from the POV of one character. We only know what he knows. We don't know what is going on in Washington D.C. because the character doesn't know what's going on in Washington D.C.

Most movies will not stick with a strict First Person POV. They will occasionally switch to an omniscient POV.

Chosing this POV and assigning it to a video camera is brilliant. Think of the scene where Rob, Lilly, Beth, and POV (Hud/Camera) are escaping after rescuing Beth. They see the monster in the streets nearby so we see the monster in the streets nearby. They see the Air Force attacking the monster so we see the Air Force attacking the monster. Then they are in the hallways of the building, in the stairwell... they can hear roars and explosions so we can hear roars and explosions. They have no idea if the monster is about to crash into their building and destroy it, they have no idea if an Air Force rocket is about to bring their building down. They don't know this, so we don't know this.

You, the viewer, are not watching four people running for their lives while you know that the monster is running the other way or about to destroy their building. Instead, you are running through that same building with three people (you are the fourth) with no information beyond what the other three people have. You are running for your life with your friends not knowing anything that is going on outside of that stairwell.

The downside to the First Person Limited POV is the same thing that makes it a strength. Because the camera character never learns any information, neither do you. Where did this monster come from? Why is it rampaging through New York? What are these little monsters falling off of it and what happens when they bite you? What was going on with the president and his advisers on how to handle the situation and his difficult decision to order an attack that would wipe out Manhattan?

Maybe these questions will be answered if/when there is a sequel. I won't spoil it, but there is a clue to the origins of the monster at the very end of the movie.

Learn more about this author, Dale Unger.
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