"10 Cloverfield Lane" - maybe the best unfamous mystery movie for 2016? - review

"10 Cloverfield Lane" was the most intriguing film for 2016. Nobody knew about its existence two months before going out to cinemas. After a dispute with her boyfriend, Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winchester) left New Orleans, but late at night she crashed. Wakes up tied up in a room that looks like a basement. It soon becomes clear that she and Emmett (John Gallagher-son) are in Howard's bunker (John Goodman), who insists this is the only safe place around because something out-of-the-way happens. For all who think it's okay to read about a movie that they did not watch, I do not want to hinder you, you are free to do what you want, but I have to warn you that the rule "does not read before you watch" Is particularly true for movies like "10 Cloverfield Lane". It is no coincidence that the project was kept secret throughout its production. For personal security reasons, I have to warn you. Major spoilers ahead. So what do we have at the beginning? With a film in limited space. "10 Cloverfield Lane" begins as another "Saw" or "Green Room". The character will get rid of the chains, think of a clever way to distract her kidnapper, and eventually run away. On the other hand, as much as we do not want, we've come to the conclusion that this is something like a sequel to "Cloverfield". Let spend some time on it.

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"Cloverfield" is a found footage, an alien invasion movie from 2008, which, thanks to its effective advertising campaign and, above all, the skillful hiding of the monster, managed to awaken interest and ultimately provide a stable action-horror. I'm not a fan of movies that rely entirely on a hovering camera, but when it works ("The Blair Witch Project") it just works. "Cloverfield" is a remarkably memorable and debating film that does not rely solely on any individual claim. There are enough scenes in it with the huge underdeveloped monster that looks confused and frightened. The scenes are extremely effective due to one basic quality - the perspective. Using the found footage approach, the film pours a solid foundation of unrealistic realism, upon which the fantastic element stands out much clearer. It's like we're running out of the sewers after the party. We also saw this in the great Chronicles. Our reaction is "this should not happen," just like in real life when we see a magician levitate or walk on water. "10 Cloverfield Lane" is shot as a proper movie. Stable camera, well-prepared lighting and colors, everything looks like a standard movie. Besides stylistically, the film differs from its predecessor and structure. The action develops almost entirely in a confined space, no one runs around the city, there are no extraterrestrial monsters trapping buildings around. If there are no aliens, then the main effect of the first film is the monster hiding. Or? As the plaque inscription says, monsters come in different forms. At first we are led to believe that Howard is the real monster, and everything he says is a lie that seeks to force them not to go out. Even if it is not a lie, it is the fruit of his conspiracy brain, which further exacerbates his personal drama and makes the character interesting and believable. And how good is John Goodman's character? How cleverly avoids all the clichés that invariably follow the conspirators in other films (for example, in Emery's, it is always a cartoon).

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"10 Cloverfield Lane" is not a movie about whether there are aliens outside or not. This is a movie about paranoia, about the monsters in our brains. All in all, Michelle does not know if Howard is lying or telling the truth. An illustrative example of what conspiracy is doing with logical thinking. When the points can easily be linked, one loses ground under their feet and can easily succumb to the temptation to believe. After all, everything is possible. Why there is no Third World War and outside the air is really dirty. Or vice versa - this person kidnapped me. The good thing about this is that the movie does not rely on an elementary turn that just has a shocking effect. The center is the state of insecurity and fear. So it was in Oliver Stone's "J.F.K". I do not believe in the conspiracy, but the character's obsession is captured so precisely that it becomes a creation of art. Above all, "10 Cloverfield Lane" is a movie. We have only three characters (and the voice of Bradley Cooper as Michelle's fiancé). Exposure at the beginning is great, we understand in a very unobtrusive way enough for all of the characters. So it seemed to me superfluous to use additional layers of information, especially in the conversation between Michelle and Emmett in the middle of the film. Another thing that would upset some is all the practical jerks Michelle uses in the bunker or her own escape from Howard. People who like to indulge in these things have no pleasure. "But how can he do that, but how can she not remember, that's not the case in real life and so on." And here everything is so well thought out and found from the start. Michel wants to be a seamstress, her house has model drawings, and so on ...After we noted two (possible) minuses, we can go back to the lubricating amount of the film's qualities. Did we notice that this is a debut? No wonder if we have forgotten, because "10 Cloverfield Lane" does not look like one. Directed by Dan Traktenberg, whose short film portal you might have watched. We are sure that there are not a few people who would give their right hand for such a strong debut, although it is worth mentioning that Traktenberg did not act alone. The film's script was revised by Damien Chazel, who was also supposed to be directing, but eventually received a "Whiplash" subsidy and disappeared to shoot the crazy drummer.

In addition to this, the producer is J. J. Abrams, who continues to keep alive Spielberg's spark. In the "10 Cloverfield Lane," especially in the last part, the spirit of the 80's is felt. Visually reminds of the wonderful "Super 8" and "War of the Worlds," but uses quite different ingredients. It blends the fear of aliens and modern conspiracy beliefs and almost eliminates the boundary between the two films we watch simultaneously. The third action literally raises the hopper into the air. Restrictions are removed, fears are real. Here some will have a problem with how quickly things are escalating, but the need for a culmination and a pay off was too strong, and if all the action developed only in the bunker, we would have seen a completely different thing. To be honest, these films, which have balls to experiment, mix genres, are much less common. And here we go back to that screaming effect of the first film. What the hell is that? The realism of the first half contrasts with the final scenes and makes our eyes pop out. I really liked "10 Cloverfield Lane" (if it was not clear of my exaggerated tone). Through it I remembered how rarely recently we have seen truly brave films. So cleverly designed that the stitches are not visible, respectful of the past and preserved their own identity. I highly recommend. I have been thinking for three days already, reading and looking for any Master's ego and references. It's a rare thing to happen to me.