Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

10 Cloverfield Lane Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman June 16, 2016

Director Dan Trachtenberg makes his feature film debut with 10 Cloverfield Lane, a neat, tidy, enthralling, and very well made Thriller that's a tangential entry into the Cloverfield franchise, if one can label it a "franchise" at, now, two films strong. Don't let the word "Cloverfield" crete any expectations, though, at least not very straightforward, sequel-centric expectations for "more of the same." Suffice it to say, 10 Cloverfield Lane is a radically different experience from its predecessor -- narratively and stylistically to be sure but also structurally and thematically, too -- though how, why, or even really if it fits into the universe introduced in the first film won't be spoiled here. That said, the movie does stand strong on its own merits, away from the shaky cam footage and noise of the original monster movie. It's instead a more confined and intimate character film, one that asks a lot of good questions, answers some of them in due time, and yields an altogether captivating movie watching experience, structured in three very basic and identifiable acts that tell a complete story of confusion and revelation, leading to an ending that isn't necessarily hard to see coming but that does contextually redefine everything leading up to it.

What she sees...

Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) hurriedly leaves her life behind, escaping her boyfriend and hoping to get away from the struggles of life. Unfortunately, she's run off the road at night, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, and awakens in a strange place: a spartan cinder block and concrete room. An IV is attached to her arm, a blood stain soaks her pillow, a few wounds have been tended, and she's shackled to the wall. She manages to reach her phone but it cannot pick up a signal. She's greeted by her captor, a man named Howard (John Goodman), who claims he's saved her life. With time, her restraints are removed, she's given crutches to aid her mobility, and she's given a tour of the place he calls home: a well-stocked underground survival shelter. He believes there's a crisis on the surface that's rendered the atmosphere deadly to anything that breathes the air. Details are sketchy: it could be Russians, it could be Martians. Either way, they're safe inside, so long as neither Michelle nor Howard's other guest, Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.), do anything stupid that could contaminate the shelter with whatever it is that's apparently killing off life outside, including Howard's neighbor and livestock. As time passes, Michelle begins to doubt Howard's story, both his personal tale and his story of what's happening outside. But is the possibility of exposure and death worth escape, and will she find a fate worse that crude survival and an increasingly unstable host should she venture outside?

10 Cloverfield Lane jumps quickly out of the gate with no wasted motion, time, or detail. Character establishment is rapid and just enough to get Michelle on the move and to her final destination. The movie's opening act is high energy and frantic that captures human interest, a narrow focus on the world of "disaster prepping," and a broader focus on the fears of modern society. The film offers an interesting take on catastrophe, sealing off three characters from a world that was, or maybe still is, an always-on, up-to-the-second, easily informed society. All of that is taken away within the bunker's walls, and all that's left is the word of a man who seems to live for the opportunity to survive, to prove his time and effort worthwhile, who thrives on the satisfaction of being right. In 10 Cloverfield Lane, Trachtenberg, Producer J.J. Abrams, and the writing team have created a modern and modified version of Plato's Allegory of the Cave. Here, the person chained to the wall -- literally chained, at first -- enters with a lifetime's worth of knowledge of what's outside and a body, mind, and soul shaped by a lifetime of experience in the real world. Now, suddenly, Michelle's world view is only what Howard allows her to see and the picture he paints of the world as it is, supposedly, now, rather than how it was. She cannot verify. All she can do is use her knowledge and instincts, and work to build a larger narrative than that which Howard shares with her, using her own mental resources and experiences as a guide. It's a fascinating draw that's well played and executed before the reveal which, it would seem, has only two logical outcomes: Howard is right, or Howard is a liar. Either way, Michelle's in trouble.

The movie works very well on a technical level, too. For the vast majority, it's a single-location film -- the bunker -- with a few cutaway scenes to other, smaller areas within, various shafts and what not. There's the spartan "holding cell," for lack of a better term, a hallway lined with shelves full of foodstuffs and, probably, a few other odds and ends, and the more comfortable living space with dining area and kitchenette where the majority of the movie takes place. The film really nails it. Even as survival bunkers, and preparedness in general, have become more mainstream, these shelters aren't exactly the kinds of places most people ever see. Still, there's a believable air to the place, a combination of utility and comfort that, given Howard's apparent lifelong, or thereabouts, obsession with survival, is fully believable as a structure and a living area alike. Trachtenberg directs smoothly and succinctly, working well within the relatively tight confines and capturing the juxtaposing essences of pure survival, uncertainty, and the human interactions that are a result. Storytelling is smooth and precise, and never does the movie play like a director experiencing growing pains. Performances are strong, too. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is excellent as the evolving protagonist of the story while John Goodman hits a home run as Howard. He plays Howard as a man certain of himself, proud of his foresight and accomplishments, but mysterious nonetheless, and strangely vulnerable, too, even through the confidence of his planning and ability, the way he deals with the crisis, both exposes and keeps secret details of his life, and handles the ebbs and flows of survival with his guests. His Howard is a man on a mission, and Goodman's ability to remain grounded in his knowledge and instincts, unwaveringly believe in what he's doing, and coping, sometimes harshly, with the evolving understanding and growing unease of his guests -- particularly Michelle -- is the movie's greatest asset.

10 Cloverfield Lane Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

10 Cloverfield Lane was digitally photographed. The 1080p Blu-ray transfer can be a bit noisy at the source but provides an overall positive viewing experience. Indeed, noise spikes, usually in lower light areas, such as in Michelle's room. Generally, however, the image is rather clean and efficiently detailed and colored. Faces are always revealing of finer pores, wrinkles, and facial hairs. Clothes are well textured, and the source's natural sharpness allows audiences to soak up all the little details around the shelter, particularly in the common area. Colors are neutrally balanced. None really pop or stand apart, none appear faded or wanting for more vitality. Black levels hold up nicely, yielding a good, positive depth and fine shadow detailing. Skin tones appear neutral. Beyond the noise, there are a couple of smeary looking shots; cuts to Howard around the 15:50 mark being the most readily apparent example. Though probably more the fault of the monitor, a 360-degree panning shot that introduces the shelter's living area produced a headache-inducing judder that subtracted from the scene's otherwise interesting reveal.

10 Cloverfield Lane Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

10 Cloverfield Lane arrives on Blu-ray with a Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 lossless core) soundtrack. This review is based on an 11.1 setup, which adds four "height" channels to the traditional 7.1 surround setup. The track is demanding; music and larger action effects push the system hard, but balance is excellent and the presentation as authentic as one could imagine. Music is terrific. Score that opens the movie is amazingly smooth. Dispersal around the stage is even, creating a seamless 360-degree immersion. Overheads don't seem to be heavily engaged in musical delivery, but no matter; the net effect is terrific. Pop music playing from a jukebox in the shelter is more front-dominant, a bit less aggressive, and a little behind in clarity, all to be expected considering the source within the movie rather than laid atop it. Mild atmospherics, such as insects or light buzzing fluorescent lights, are likewise immersive and well positioned, but it's the film's more pronounced and aggressive elements that drive the experience. Michelle's car wreck is unbelievably robust. Crunching metal, crashes onto the surface, and the sensation that the vehicle is indeed rolling over is amazing, and that top layer adds in plenty of clearly defined detail that creates a more realistic, full-stage immersion. A smoke alarm blares through the bunker on more than on occasion, with dispersal throughout but a noticeable overhead component. Deep and detailed discrete effects emanate from all over the stage in key moments, and the film's finale yields plenty of hard-hitting bass and tons of activity through all of the speakers, including, again, a well defined height component. No details will be revealed to prevent spoiling the movie in any form or fashion, but suffice it to say it's loud and chillingly authoritative. Dialogue delivery is clear and refined with a positive center placement and prioritization. This is a terrific track and one of the best Dolby Atmos listens yet.

10 Cloverfield Lane Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

10 Cloverfield Lane contains a commentary track and seven featurettes. A DVD copy of the film and a voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy are included with purchase. Of note is that the release comes with a unique slipcover that offers full back panel coverage but only about 2/3 coverage for the front, allowing the top of the case artwork to take over and give the viewer two different looks with the slipcover on and off the case.

• Audio Commentary: Director Dan Trachtenberg and Producer J.J. Abrams share some interesting anecdotal secrets behind the movie while discussing film and scene-specific structure, characters and development, score, crafting key scenes and visual effects, performances, alterations in scenes and concepts from idea stages to final execution, editing, and much more. This is a very enlightening, informative, and entertaining track. It opens up a wider world of the filmmaking process. A must-listen for fans of this film and the cinematic craft alike.
• Cloverfield Too (1080p, 9:07): Cast and crew recall the plot, the film's relation to, and differences from, the first film, Trachtenberg's direction, and casting and performances.
• Bunker Mentality (1080p, 3:48): Designing, crafting, and shooting the movie's main set piece.
• Duck and Cover (1080p, 1:44): Designing a key costume seen late in the film.
• Spin-Off (1080p, 3:52): Building practical car effects for the film.
• Kelvin Optical (1080p, 6:07): A fascinating, but quick, look inside one of the arms of Bad Robot where visual and sound effects are created.
• Fine Tuned (1080p, 6:42): A look at how music compliments the movie and characters.
• End of Story (1080p, 3:19): Creating an original movie that's still attached to a popular movie.

10 Cloverfield Lane Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

10 Cloverfield Lane is a fantastic motion picture, a core human interest story of survival and the unknown, of mysterious intentions and circumstances. Every area of the movie excels, whether considering writing, direction, production design, or performances. There are some surprises and a few turns that aren't hard to see coming, but the net value of the movie is very high, blending physiological chills with hypothetical survival scenarios and more broadly entertaining moviemaking. The cast is great, with Goodman leading the charge in one of the best works of his storied career. Paramount's Blu-ray release of 10 Cloverfield Lane offers solid video, reference Atmos audio, and a very nice complimentary selection of bonus materials, including an A-grade commentary track. Very highly recommended.