Cloverfield 2008

The Story

Rob (Michael-Stahl David) and his long-time close friend Beth (Odette Yustman) hook up for at least one night of non-wedded bliss. That much we know for sure because of snippets of a video recorded in her bedroom after they had sex, snippets we see at random moments throughout the film.

Flash-forward a month from their night together and Rob’s set to leave for Japan to take on a VP job at some company. Rob and Beth apparently never got together as a couple and she’s at his send-off with another guy. Rob wants her, but something’s obviously gone wrong with their relationship.



Paramount PicturesMeanwhile, Rob’s going away party is loaded with pretty people drinking, gossiping, and leaving farewell messages into a camera operated by his buddy, rookie videographer Hud (TJ Miller). Also in attendance at this upscale Manhattan shindig is Rob’s younger brother Jason (Mike Vogel) and Jason’s main squeeze Lily (Jessica Lucas). The party introduces us to one more key player, Marlena (Lizzy Caplan), the girl Hud has a thing for who has no idea Hud even exists.
An earthquake signals the end of the going away party setup, but those first 20 minutes of the movie do provide all the backstory you ever need to know on the five main players. Screenwriter Drew Goddard (Lost), director Reeves and Abrams know the audience wants, needs, is dying to see a monster, but give them credit for taking the time to let us connect with the people whose story we’ll be a part of for the remainder of the film. If we don’t embrace Rob, Beth, Jason, Lily and Hud, then Cloverfield would be dead in the water.

Once the monster hits – literally – the city, Cloverfield explodes into a run for your life action film. But it also manages, strangely enough, to keep the story small at the same time. Everything that goes down is recorded by Hud and that footage puts us up close and personal into the terrifying events.

Because we know the key players, Cloverfield never devolves into the standard scream and be eaten horror fare. There’s a point to Rob and his friends running around the city, which makes their journey meaningful. Rob needs to help rescue Beth, and that’s the only thing pushing him forward.