To summarise briefly, 10 Cloverfield Lane follows the character of Michelle, who leaves her home after an argument with her fiancé. While driving through a rural area, her car is taken out off the road and she passes out from her injuries. She then wakes up in a small concrete room, her leg broken and chained to the wall, with her supposed captor, Howard, explaining to her that they are in an underground bunker and that they cannot leave, as all civilisation outside has now ended. Ultimately, Michelle must unravel the mystery over whether Howard is right in what he says, or if there are more sinister motivations for his actions.
First and foremost, 10 Cloverfield Lane is an extremely well-acted movie. The small core cast carry this film throughout and do a terrific job. Mary Elizabeth Winstead does a great job as our protagonist, Michelle. Intelligent and independent, Michelle is no mere "damsel in distress" as depicted in horror movies gone by, but a very competent and realistic heroine. Winstead portrays Michelle as a very human character, and the effect of this is two fold. First off, it gives us a protagonist who makes smart choices; not once are we screaming at the screen questioning whether or not she is an idiot or simply incompetent, as we would be if we were watching a cliched horror movie. Secondly, it also means the character is flawed and, therefore, more interesting to watch on screen. She goes through a real character arc and growth throughout the story that is akin to Ripley's in the original Alien movie, a film which 10 Cloverfield Lane shares many similarities in plot. Yet, as good as Winstead is, it is John Goodman's turn as Howard which steals the show. I won't say too much, as it's best you go into this film as blind as possible in my opinion, but what I will say is that Goodman gives a performance that will keep you guessing from beginning to end and he is by far the most captivating character to watch on screen.
On a technical level, the film is exceptionally well-made. Shot in a way that constantly makes you feel close to these characters, the way the movie has been filmed helps to accent the bunker's claustrophobic nature, adding to the film's suspense. The practical effects are also fantastic (especially the use of make-up, which added a depth of realism to pivotal moments in the film) and CGI was also used effectively at points. Sound was also used expertly well, from the quiet sounds of the bunker's generator or supposed passing cars above to the loud and shocking shrieks of the opening car crash, sound is used to install both a sense of security and a sense of fear in the film's audience from beginning to end, aiding in setting the tone and keeping the audience guessing.
However, the film's story has clearly been influenced by its studio and branded title, and the plot deteriorates the further the movie progresses. The first act is simply marvellous, introducing us to the leads and the setting in an expert manner and sets the foundation for what could have been a perfect confined thriller. Yet, the film plays its hand too quickly, and the rest of the film is lesser in quality because of this. A new mystery emerges in the film's second act which breathes a bit of life back into the story and seems to give us a satisfying conclusion.
However, it doesn't.
The film goes on for twenty minutes more than it should, the climax is completely outside of the tone of the rest of the movie and it completely stinks of too much studio involvement and interference. The ending feels shoehorned in and that left me extremely confused as a viewer. There is a natural point where this movie should have come to a conclusion, yet the studio chose to go for shocking finale which, in my opinion, has lessened the final product as a whole.
All in all, 10 Cloverfield Lane is a good film. It features a strong main cast of characters that are interesting to watch, each of whom brings their "A-game" and helps to strengthen the film in their own way. It was well-directed and well-made from every technical standpoint. However, the film's plot becomes too convoluted and tries to make 10 Cloverfield Lane something that it is not. I can only compare the ending to having tomato sauce on ice-cream, as the film's climax feels that out of place and leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Overall, 10 Cloverfield Lane is a good movie, until it leaves you scratching your head and walking out of the theatre dissatisfied.
Score: 7.2/10
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