CLOVERLEAF PROVES THAT HOLLYWOOD LOVES TERRORIST AND THE KILLING THAT TERRORIST DO

'Cloverfield': Horror Film Disses 9/11
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
By Roger Friedman



AP/Paramount Pictures
Michael Stahl-David, left, and Odette Yustman during a scene from "Cloverfield."
'Cloverfield': Horror Film Disses 9/11 Hollywood Needs Ending to Confused Story
'Cloverfield': Horror Film Disses 9/11

Matt Reeves’ "Cloverfield," produced by J.J. Abrams of "Lost" and "Alias" fame, is an 84-minute rollercoaster ride of a monster movie that should be a big hit.

But Cloverfield also inadvertently disses New York for what happened on Sept. 11, 2001, by re-enacting scenes of buildings exploding and massive clouds of debris for fun and profit.
Does no one recall what was said following the World Trade Center disasters? There was such sensitivity about the huge human losses that images of the Twin Towers were erased from movie posters and excised from films.

Yet six years later, the Cloverfield gang is cool enough with it to show New York being pulverized by a Godzilla-like monster. Very quickly and without warning, downtown New York is destroyed by the monster. The first bit of damage is depicted by a World Trade Center-like structure exploding and collapsing downward, sending off a cloud not unlike those my friends ran from that day.

Later in the film, the main characters go to the city’s new Twin Towers, represented by the Time Warner Center. The structure looks so much like the World Trade Center that you have to wonder what these people were thinking. "Cloverfield" was truly made by California movie people. No one in New York would ever be this insensitive.

But I suppose I’m being too sensitive. After all, 9/11 was six freakin’ years ago! Get over it! "Cloverfield" is just commercial entertainment. If you don’t read anything into it, this slightly plotted edge-of-the-seat nail-biter is a good big studio take on "The Blair Witch Project." It’s the perfect winter doldrums popcorn fest.

The clever aspect of Reeves’ film is that it’s all shot with a handheld camera that’s supposed to be the camcorder belonging to one of the main characters. This gives the film an intimate feel, and the look is very personal as the city is devoured by an identified creature from the black lagoon.

Reeves and Abrams do not supply much information, just that good-looking young professionals are interrupted from their partying by the long-tailed, ugly, pod-dropping monster. Screenwriter Drew Goddard, who comes from Abrams’ TV circle with "Lost" and "Alias," has only turned in two acts — which is fine for the small screen but lacking for the big one. Hence, "Cloverfield" ends abruptly and leaves a lot of questions unanswered. (Shades of "Lost.")
"Cloverfield" boasts a small but plucky cast of young unknowns, and they’re not bad although none of them really breaks out. Lizzy Caplan as Marlena, who is bitten by the monster, does the most with the least in the Ally Sheedy role from "Breakfast Club." The others — Michael Stahl-David, T.J. Miller, Jessica Lucas and Odette Yustman — must bear the brunt of the script’s lack of humor or wit or any subplot. Give them points for that.