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Ten years or so ago J.J. Abrams produced found footage horror flick “Cloverfield”. The movie hit cinemas in 2008, and eight years later Abrams is back with his next Cloverfield project: the tense thriller “10 Cloverfield Lane”.
Not so much a sequel as a “spiritual successor” (to borrow Abrams’ own words), “10 Cloverfield Lane” has really only come under the spotlight this year. Developed under the working title “Valencia”, Paramount first linked the film to “Cloverfield” when it announced the new title a couple of months ago. From then on its been teaser after teaser, and while the film is certainly not the next “Cloverfield” instalment, it certainly doesn’t disappoint.
Tense, taut and thrilling, director Dan Trachtenberg’s “10 Cloverfield Lane” follows Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), who is knocked unconscious after a violent car crash. When she wakes, she finds herself chained up to a makeshift bed in an ominous, unfamiliar room.
That room is a part of an underground bunker built by Howard (John Goodman) and his helper Emmett (John Gallagher, Jr). Howard tells Michelle that he pulled her from the wreckage of her car and brought her to his bunker when an attack occurred above ground. He estimates it could be a year or more until it’s safe to go back outside, so for now, the three of them are stuck in the bunker. But can Michelle trust Howard?
Well, the audience is left struggling to answer that question along with Michelle, as this gripping sci-fi thriller transitions from a taut, slow builder to an action packed adrenaline rush.
All three stars give captivating performances, leaving us completely engrossed in the three-man show. Goodman is chillingly menacing while Winstead perfectly balances Michelle’s vulnerability yet unwaveringly determination. Gallagher, meanwhile, gives the ultimate supporting performance, switching between dramatic assist and comic relief.
While its relation to 2008’s “Cloverfield” is so faint that it could be seen as nothing more than a clever marketing move, “10 Cliverfield Lane” will have you on the edge of your seat from the first opening credit (you’ll see what I mean!)
