*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*
At the beginning of 2016, it was announced that a new thriller/horror was being released set in an underground bunker and then it was revealed to be a sequel to Cloverfield, however, no characters return from the previous film. I think this was a great marketing scheme as I know a lot of people loved Cloverfield. The trailers showed the three main characters in an underground bunker which I liked as it didn't give too much away and was a great way of getting people to the cinema to watch it. Admittedly, I wasn't a big fan of Cloverfield, the handheld camera didn't work for me as, at times, it was hard to keep up with what was going on. Fortunately, the camera is stable in 10 Cloverfield Lane and it improves on the predecessor whilst managing to be a great stand alone film. You don't need to have watched Cloverfield in order to watch this film.
A young woman, Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) wakes up after a terrible car accident to find that she's locked in a bunker with a doomsday prepper, Howard (John Goodman) who insists that he saved her life and that the world outside is uninhabitable following an apocalyptic catastrophe. Also in the bunker is a young man, Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.) who has a more positive outlook on the situation. Uncertain what to believe, Michelle soon determines that she must escape at any cost.
The performances have improved since the first film. All I can remember from Cloverfield is people screaming and a lot of "Oh my God's" and the characters weren't developed. Fortunately, there's only three characters for the entirety of this film which makes it easier to keep up with what's going on. All three actors give solid performances. Gallagher Jr makes Emmett the most trustworthy character of the whole film as he gives an optimistic portrayal. Goodman gives a dark and intense performance as Howard. Like the poster suggests, 'Monsters come in many forms' which hints that maybe Howard could be the monster of the film. His outburts and angry reactions make him a person no one would like to share a bunker with. The stand out performance is Winstead as Michelle. When she wakes up in the bunker, she is terrified and is left shaken after her car crash. However, she soon develops into a smart and brave character. I'd probably say that the performances are the best thing about 10 Cloverfield Lane as it's really character-driven.
Cloverfield was rated 15 (R in the US) due to the amount of violence and gore. This time, the rating has been dropped to a 12A (PG-13 in the US) as there's little to no violence and gore. The jumpscares and intense atmosphere make it more of a thriller than a horror. The film is at its best during the climax when Michelle tries to escape the bunker once and for all. Producer J.J. Abrams has said that this is a 'blood relative' to Cloverfield, however, the ending suggests that the two films may be set in the same universe. At time of writing this, it's been announced there will be a third Cloverfield film that'll be released in late 2017.
This is a successful directing debut for Dan Trachtenberg. He really understands how to generate tension and create a claustrophobic setting. While the bunker is filled with plenty of games, DVDs, food and even a jukebox, Howard's strict rules make it a place that no one would want to stay.
There's plenty of sequences throughout that are really intense. When the three are having dinner, we see how angry Howard can get which leads to Michelle making her first attempt at escaping. This is where she sees a woman from outside begging to come in and she soon realises that Howard has been telling the truth about the outside world. It's very unsettling and makes viewers feel like that Michelle is safer in the bunker.
I wasn't going to watch this when it was first released in March 2016 so I read the entire plot online. I was surprised at how things turned out so decided to watch it in the cinema. Despite knowing exactly what was going to happen, I enjoyed this film more than I thought I would.
Overall, 10 Cloverfield Lane is smart, solidly crafted and very intense. It makes good use of its confined setting and talented cast.
7/10
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