Below is a short review of the film 10 Cloverfield Lane, starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead, one of my favorite actresses in modern cinema. I saw her excel in Birds of Prey and more recently in Kate, and I was reminded of her range and powerful performance in this film. This review is lightly edited and from October 2017.
As Unique as it Gets
10 Cloverfield Lane is a fresh new take on the sci-fi thriller genre. The film enters the arena with an already odd connection to a different movie in a different genre with a different film style, but is wholly its own story.
There wasn’t much to complain about in this movie, except maybe the explosion-filled hollywood ending. For a movie set in a bunker, it handled claustrophobia very well, and only made you feel squeezed when it wanted you to, and made you feel at ease when it wanted you to. The tension pulsed with the pacing, giving you new twists and revelations at every turn. John Goodman was stellar, as was the score and the cinematography. One of the best aspects of the film is how the story is told. The viewer is shown what seems like is conflicting information, and the final twist is so apparent to the viewer that it is almost impossible to predict.
Too Unique for its own Good
My only gripe with the movie is the ending, but this movie suffers from the same fate as Baby Driver. It delivers something so new and original that it doesn’t know how to end, given its characters, themes and events. The ending is logical, but doesn’t fit unless you suspend your disbelief. Don’t miss out on this flick. 8/10.
You can watch 10 Cloverfield Lane on Roku or PlutoTV.
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