Two months ago, Bad Robot surprised
everyone with a trailer for 10 Cloverfield Lane. Just as they did
with the original Cloverfield, they were somehow able to shroud the
entire production in secrecy – a feat that becomes more and more
impressive with each passing year.
Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead)
wakes up in an underground bunker after being saved by a man named
Howard (John Goodman) who tells her that the world above them has
ended.
10 Cloverfield Lane is an interesting
beast because it's a hybrid of two separate ideas. The project began
in 2012 as a script called The Cellar, which was later re-appropriated
to fit into the Cloverfield universe. I'll talk more about that
later, but right now I want to focus on the piece's biggest strength.
You've probably heard about how great
John Goodman is in this, and I agree. Howard can be added to his long
list of memorable characters. He's an unsettling presence throughout
that you never really feel comfortable around because you are never
quite sure if his behaviour is malicious or just plain awkward. As
solid as Goodman is though, I also feel that Mary Elizabeth Winstead
deserves just as much praise. She is one of a few actresses that can
not only balance vulnerability and strength, but always remain
grounded and relatable while doing it. Her role here just further
cemented her place as one of my favourite actresses working today.
The third player in the film, John Gallagher Jr. as Emmett, is also
great as the intermediary between the two.
Howard (John Goodman) & Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) in 10 Cloverfield Lane. |
With the help of the confined setting,
director Dan Trachtenberg created some real tension here. After
cutting his teeth on a decade's worth of commercials, this was a very
competent debut. Given the piece's intimate tone, I'm very impressed
he had the confidence to let his actors do a lot of the heavy
lifting. I used to religiously watch a Web show Trachtenberg was on for
many years, so it puts a smile on my face to know he's now finally
achieved the things he always talked about doing.
I was also happy that the trailer (I
only watched the first one) didn't give away as much as it seemed to.
While it is true the name Cloverfield, which implies a somewhat
problematic expectation of the grandiose, does fly in the face of the
straightforward character piece presented in the trailer, I do think
they can co-exist. Regardless of where the story eventually goes
though, I think there were some major improvements made from the
original script, the best of which being the character of Michelle.
She was a much better realized character here, which is in part
due to rewrites, but mostly Winstead, the only actress who was ever
considered for the role.
To sum up, 10 Cloverfield Lane probably
won't knock anyone's socks off, but it is a solid thriller that I
feel gets most, if not all, of the important things right.
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