Caution: A few spoilers and explainers to those who haven't seen this yet.

The first ten minutes, and sporadically from there, are professionally filmed to give the viewer the appeal that a true amateur is at the helm of the camera (this feeling is enhanced with said Hud's dorky dialog). These first few steps into this movie are as annoying as watching your neighbor's family vacation to Iowa while bbq ribs slowly sizzle on their grill. Just like those ribs that your mouth is watering for you know the best is yet to come as the Dolby Surround system pounds the elusive behemoths footsteps through your heart and deep into the theater cushion. As great as it is there are a few minor tweaks that might be hard for some to swallow.

One thing that might turn off some viewers is that this movie doesn't really end. The traditional upper Western Hemisphere film closure is, well.. lost. The movie ends and everyone in the audience knows that they are missing some serious finale fighting with the monster. And what's more(!) is that this movie never explains where it came from, what it was doing, or anything. If this type of information is what you want from a movie, then let me just say that you will find more answers at the bottom of your empty popcorn bag than you will from the storyline.

Let me just say that this monster is one of the best Sci-Fi creatures to come from someone's imagination in a long, long time. It takes a while for you to fully see the monster that is re-organizing NY City. This is a way of playing with you, the audience, in the way that it is all being filmed as Hud saw fit... not as a battle tested, war correspondence or a veteran filmmaker might. No, Cloverfield is told as Hud saw it through the lens of a cheap, dime store camera. With some regret, this appealing approach to filmography will turn some viewers away.

Regardless, this movie is intense with it's hidden and long drawn out suspense, but it is a one of a kind love story. That's right, for those of you who might have missed that, it's a love story and NOT a sci-fi shoot 'em up monster bash. From the very beginning you are introduced to the couple (pre-existing life) and after the female love interest, Beth, leaves the party (climax of Act 1) the hero is then given the problem he must solve: there is a giant monster in between him and his love and he must get there. True to the romantic hero genre, Rod will stop at nothing to rescue Beth from certain death.

Well... I hate spoilers so I will give away no more secrets and leave that.. at that.

Learn more about this author, Jared Brunk.
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