Cast: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman, John Gallagher Jr.
Release Date: March 2016
10 Cloverfield Lane is the film no one saw coming or even knew existed until about a month or two before its release, as the infamously secretive J. J. Abrams and his production company Bad Robot kept the project firmly under wraps. Arguably, it's also a film that no one asked for as its predecessor, Cloverfield, was hardly a blockbuster hit. However, this carefully shrouded film is the surprise hit of the year.The film follows Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) who has recently been detained in an underground bunker with two men (John Goodman and John Gallagher Jr.) after a serious car accident. One of the men, Howard (Goodman), insists the air outside of the bunker has left the world uninhabitable - but can he be trusted?
The success of the film largely relies on the success of these two elements; the audience's determination for the survival and safety of our heroine and the believability of the danger that she could possibly face. Thankfully, these two targets are hit with a bullseye. The former point is achieved through the strength of the performance given by Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Michelle. In a time where audiences are crying out for fully realised and developed female characters (rightfully so), Winstead and the team behind 10 Cloverfield Lane provide us with a shining example. Michelle is smart and extremely resourceful and never once ventures into damsel territory. Often when you're watching a horror/thriller, you find yourself screaming at the silver screen, either berating the "hero" for making idiotic decisions or offering your own solutions to their dilemmas - in both instances, you're left disgruntled as the protagonist doesn't take the smart course of action. This is not the case in 10 Cloverfield Lane as Michelle is always effectively formulating and demonstrating just how intelligent and active she is. Goodman and Gallagher Jr. both also provide strong performances, most notably Goodman as the socially disengaged Howard, who leaves you questioning his motives through almost the entire film.
Comparisons have been made between 10 Cloverfield Lane and the films of Alfred Hitchcock, and the parallels are certainly there. Despite the minimalistic location and relatively small scope of the piece, director Dan Trachtenberg amplifies the suspense and tension to such a palpable degree, where at times I watched events unfolding through gritted teeth and my hands obscuring my eyes.
It's not until approximately 15 minutes before the film ends that any flaws are noticeable, and that can be attributed to the shift in genre. 10 Cloverfield Lane reverts back to the science-fiction/supernatural genre that was the basis of Cloverfield and ultimately spawned this film. Although, the psychological thriller aspect that preceded the final 15 minutes was significantly more entertaining.
Overall, 10 Cloverfield Lane is one of the most gripping and arresting films of the year and is bound to keep even the most laid-back of cinema - goers on the edge of their seat.
