“10 Cloverfield Lane” Redefines Claustrophobia

In the world of “10 Cloverfield Lane,” only two things are certain: monsters come in many forms, and no one is safe. Dan Trachtenberg’s first full-length feature film delivered on the expectation that a new addition to the “Cloverfield” franchise had to be a kick-ass thriller.

Excellent performances were throughout by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, as the main protagonist Michelle, and John Gallagher Jr. who plays the fan-favorite and lovable comedy relief Emmet. But the possible performance of a lifetime came from the great John Goodman, who plays the paranoid and malicious Howard.

After suffering a terrible car accident, Michelle (Winstead) wakes up in an underground bunker with no explanation of when, how or why and is met by the brooding Howard (Goodman). And by brooding, I mean the guy looked intimidating right from the get-go and left me as well as the rest of the audience feeling uncomfortable throughout the movie. When Michelle is told that there has been an attack and everyone outside the bunker is dead, it’s easy to be quick to call B.S. But if anyone has watched the previous “Cloverfield” movie they’d know there has to be some sort of monster, right?

Well, this is what divided fans and critics across the board. After a few 180’s in the story, it’s hard to know what’s real and what isn’t. Is Howard a maniac holding them hostage? Or was there really an attack of biblical proportions that they were saved from? This uncertainty is what made “10 Cloverfield Lane” that much scarier in my opinion. I had no way of judging or guessing what would happen next.

In the end, I would give “10 Cloverfield Lane” 4/5 stars for its excellent acting skills and intense feeling of claustrophobia. Be aware that this is not a direct sequel to the first “Cloverfield” movie, and the first film should not be taken into account while watching this. I would recommend this to anyone looking to be scared in a thrill-ride sort of way, like a John Goodman serial killer roller coaster at Disneyland.