OK, I will make an admission right out of the gate: This isn’t really a proper trilogy as much as it is a series. I point this out because the story expands, and is supposed to get another entry sooner or later, so it’s not like this is all there is. This is just all there is for the moment.
As flawed as it is as a series, I do love these movies, though, the last is definitely the least. I love that it was becoming a series of strange films that mixed real, emotional stakes with an otherworldly danger. The first of the three is the only one thus far that was baked in the lab as its own thing, the other two being retrofitted to fit the mold that the producers were interested in. A lot was made of this retrofitting, and I can see why the writers might have issues with it but, the fact is, it happens a lot. Scripts change, evolve, and that’s part of the process. I think it’d be fascinating to see “Paradox” and “Lane” as movies made from those original scripts, especially “Paradox,” as they’d be a lot different, and it’d be interesting to see if they worked better that way, without the baggage.
As much as I love these three films, well, love two, and really think the third is a good person, it’s an awkward series. It reminds me of the modern “Star Wars” movies, which would be vastly different and better if there was a plan made as they were being planned out so that there was a connective, and cohesive story. I can’t know what the driving force behind this series is, other than reading that it was meant as a sort of anthology series of films, sort of how “Halloween” was supposed to turn, had the third film been a hit at the time. The trouble though, is that with “Paradox” they made such an effort to tie it to the first film that it’s not an anthology but a series, changing what they seemed to think they were doing in the first place. It’s hard to say. I do know that I love the first two films, and enjoy the third, but am just not sure where they are going with it all.
“Cloverfield”
It’s hard to take the movie of “Cloverfield” as a separate entity from the promotion of the film. Like “Blair Witch Project,” there was a deeper story at work in the background that engulfed my mind and imagination, and really connected me to the film. I do love found-footage movies, it’s true, so it is high on my list no matter what, but paired with the ARG stuff, wowza! The sad thing for movie geeks is that, for a lot of these sorts of things if you missed it…you missed it. An example being that when the movie “A.I.” came out, there was a whole campaign in the background about the world the film was set in. While not necessary to appreciate the film, it gave you a lot of background information and really added to the full story. The same was the case with “Cloverfield,” which had a really sprawling storyline about a background coporation, a conspiracy, and theories about what may have led to the creature emerging from the water. It was great. It made the mind reel, and was like a free dessert after a great meal.
Anyway.
The movie.
The film itself was so revelatory because it took a kaiju/giant monster movie and added an element of found-footage which suddenly made the film more immediate, and scarier. At that time, we really didn’t see a lot of those sorts of films bring us to the ground-level with the monsters, as people tried to survive something that shouldn’t even exist. The movie was scary, it was intense, and it had a mystery about it that was never fully revealed. While that can be frustrating, in this case, it was exciting, because I think they knew more than they were willing to say, which is different than vagueness for the sort of drama.
I love this movie.
4 out of 5
“10 Cloverfield Lane”
A creepy, claustrophobic drama, this is so different to “Cloverfield,” that you spend the length of the film waiting for the big twist, which harms the movie. It’s so well acted, and so engaging that even without the big twist it keeps you wanting more. For me, the end works. It may have undercut a first viewing, but the film really plays with the idea of – just because you’re paranoid, doesn’t mean they aren’t after you. I love the idea of being saved by someone who is essentially a villain. That’s great. They saved you, but what do you do if you can’t trust them?
And I do like the twist.
It’s creepy, and it makes the film feel like a rollercoaster ride, with the end serving as the last, largest hill. Again, so many questions are raised with no real answers, and that’s OK. The acting is so strong, and the core of the film so well done, it doesn’t matter, and it does feel like they knew what they were doing.
3.75 out of 5
“The Cloverfield Paradox”
Well, here’s where the wheels start coming loose a bit.
The film is an interesting sci-fi film, with a lot of fun, creepy ideas, but once they weld on the Cloverfield of it all, it feels like a stretch. It feels as if they grafted on something that didn’t quite fit.
The acting is good, the idea is interesting, and timely (for then), but as a whole, it feels like “Sunshine” meets “Event Horizon.” The great sin of the movie though, is that it tries to retrofit a lot of backstory adn ideas on the initial film, and thus, this anthology series, which is now a franchise.
It’s clearly the least of the three films, despite how much I enjoy it.
There’s a lot of interesting ideas, in terms of the series, but until we see what they do with it all, it’s just a last minute info dump.
My feeling is that if we get another one, it will just be about the creature/s in the first film, and won’t get into the weeds of multiverses, and space creatures and such.
We shall see.
I am still ride or die with these movies, if for no other reason than the first is so darned good. I have hopes for a new entry, but we really shall see how bold they want to be, and honestly, if the new studio system decides to move forward at all.
Time will tell.
…c…
