7.3 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.1 |
A group of friends venture deep into the streets of New York on a rescue mission during a rampaging monster attack.
Starring: Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, T.J. Miller, Michael Stahl-David, Mike VogelThriller | 100% |
Action | 78% |
Sci-Fi | 77% |
Horror | 42% |
Mystery | 27% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English, English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
You said it was 'alive.' What was it?
I usually don't say things like this in a review, but Cloverfield rules. Without a doubt,
this is the finest monster movie ever made, and the various Godzilla and King
Kong movies pale in comparison. Even as a movie reviewer, someone who makes his living
on
critiquing movies and Blu-ray discs, I'm not always enamored with a lot of what gets made today.
Much of it is repetitive tripe (even the mindless entertainment types), and
most of what we see today lacks much, if any, originality. I've got to give credit to Hollywood for
finally getting one right, creating an original, truly edge-of-your-seat, mind-boggling movie that
stands almost alone as a movie that is so intense, scary, and real, that it's difficult to classify your
emotions after watching it. Is it entertaining? Absolutely. Is it horrific? Sure is. Does it feel
completely real? No doubt. Director Matt Reeves (The Pallbearer) and producer J.J.
Abrams (director of Mission: Impossible
III) have re-invigorated a tired, dull genre, and taken the trite "let's destroy New York
City" theme and created a masterpiece that unequivocally accomplishes what it sets out to do.
Even statues can have a bad day.
Paramount Pictures proudly presents Cloverfield on Blu-ray in 1080p high definition and
framed in the movie's original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. For what the movie is, it looks great. The
"prosumer" (as described in the commentary track) handheld high-definition camera used in the
film offers up some solid
definition and details. It's not as sharp and professional, obviously, as the high-end cameras
generally used these days on your "normal" Hollywood film, but the grittiness and less-than-
pristine nature
of the source adds to the feel, tension, and horror of the movie. This looks far better than 28 Days Later, but
has been filmed with a higher quality camera. Still, both Blu-ray discs represent exactly what
the cameras captured; nothing more, nothing less, and tweaking the image to make it "look"
better than
the director intended would be a disservice to the film. This style of shooting is unique, obviously,
and puts the viewer in the middle of the action. There is some inherent and expected noise to be
seen throughout the image. Not every shot is in perfect focus, either, again as is to be expected
from a camera of this type, and the untrained operator behind it. For example, when various
people wish Rob farewell at the party, some shots are clearly soft and out-of-focus. Again
though, this isn't supposed to filmed by a professional, just by a "Joe" with a camera.
Details look good. Liquor and beer bottles at the party, when we catch glimpses of them, are
remarkably clear and their labels easy to read. Fine details in the
background of the apartment -- the bricks on the wall, the various decorations, and other random
household items -- also look rather good. There are some surprisingly solid black levels, evident
when
the quartet of
survivors is walking through the subway tunnels to cite just one example. Some shots exhibit
much more noise than
others, especially in select darker scenes. There is really nothing to complain about here. Much
like
the aforementioned 28 Days Later, some viewers may be put off by the lack of fine
clarity and sharpness associated with the best, shiniest, and most pristine of Blu-ray transfers,
but please keep in mind that what you are seeing is exactly what the filmmakers intended for
you to see, and this disc definitely provides viewers with the raw feel and gritty look that is the
true star of the movie.
Cloverfield devastates Blu-ray with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless track. Yet again, lossless
audio proves to be the only way to go, and like the track found on Rambo, this one
could
be considered the best on the market, a sound mix many other movies of this sort could and
should aspire to, and is
certainly exemplary demonstration material. One thing this track does well is to mix
the feeling of a camcorder-quality sound with a top-flight action movie extravaganza soundtrack.
Sometimes, we'll hear some brief audio dropouts and other minor anomalies attributable to the
quality of the microphone on the camera. Sometimes, the person behind the camera sounds
muffled when he speaks due to the placement of the microphone, but those in front of the
camera are generally heard clearly. Most dialogue reproduction in the film is fine, proving to be
well-defined and easy to hear. The audience is treated to deep,
foreboding bass as the movie begins, teasing audiences with just a small sample of what's to
come. The surround channels are used to wonderful effect at the party early in the movie, truly
creating an immersive atmosphere that, along with the handheld camera visual style, places us
in the middle of the festivities. Surround channels are active with the beats of the party's music;
every channel plays a part and they work together to create a pleasing mood that sets the pace
for the rest of the movie.
When the action picks up, the soundtrack becomes one of, if not the, finest around. All of a
sudden, a rumble interrupts the party, and soon thereafter, a tremendous, booming explosion
devastates the city, your eardrums, and the foundation of your house. In fact, many of the film's
explosions prove interesting to listen to. Even though the sound far surpasses what would be
captured by the camera's microphone, the audio takes its cues from the video, cutting out when
the picture does. Some explosions and other random sounds of destruction cut in and out
momentarily, adding an eeriness to the movie that definitely helped elevate its effectiveness.
The track also features solid presence in the rear channels during the film's hectic final hour.
From the minor, such as when a helicopter pilot is instructing people to keep moving across
the Brooklyn Bridge, to the major, as heard when the monster shrieks or when rockets and jet
fighters scream from the rear to the front (and from side to side), the feeling of chaos, confusion,
disorganization, violence, horror, and even wonderment is more than palpable; you'll swear its
real. The collapse of the bridge is so astounding from a sonic perspective that it's one of those
moments that is beyond words -- just have a listen (and for goodness sakes crank it up!). The
entire soundtrack is awe-inspiring, remarkable stuff. Kudos to Paramount -- what a fantastic way
to truly kick off their return to Blu-ray.
Cloverfield smashes its way to Blu-ray with some extras that help to tie up some of the
ambiguity
of the film (but not all of it, thankfully). First is a commentary track with director Matt Reeves.
Reeves' comments are both informative and entertaining, going in-depth through the process,
from
the origins of the idea, to the parallel stories (the monster story and the love story), the filming
process, and where many of the ideas came from, some of it from the drama of raw online
footage
from the Iraq war. Reeves seems very approachable and willing to share his thoughts, including
the
film as a way of dealing with the trials, tribulations, and anxieties of our time, namely September
11. Despite the film's short runtime, Reeves crams in plenty of information and makes this track
well worth listening to.
Next up is Special Investigation Mode. This is a clever and entertaining way to watch the
movie. The movie
plays in a box while the remainder of the screen provides a map showing the current location of
the
"large scale aggressor," "human subjects," and the "primary military activity." Facts about the
characters, the monsters, and various locations around the city also appear at regular intervals in
another box. Document 01.18.08: The Making of 'Cloverfield' (1080p, 28:22) features
interviews with J.J. Abrams, producer Bryan Burk, director Matt Reeves, and various members of
the cast. This is one of the less entertaining features on the disc. It's a fairly standard and bland
look at the making of various aspects of the film, including a tunnel attack, the military command
center, and the Brooklyn Bridge. Cloverfield Visual Effects (1080p,
22:32) is more making-of material, this time looking at the creation of the film's
computer-generated special effects.
Moving along, I Saw It! It's Alive! It's Huge! (1080p, 5:53) examines the origins of the
creature, the creation of its final design, and the creature's motives and stage of life. Clover
Fun (1080p, 3:56) is a series of outtakes from the film. Four deleted scenes (1080p,
3:25) with optional commentary by director Matt Reeves are next, and are followed by two
alternate
endings to the film (1080p, 4:29), again with optional director commentary. Unfortunately,
there are no trailers or extras pertaining to the marketing campaign of the film, something I
would have liked the disc to touch on.
Filmmakers should take note that it's not always what we see and what we hear that makes a movie great, but instead what we feel. Cloverfield's distinct style places us smack-dab into the middle of the story, and never before have I felt this close to the action. I'm certainly not advocating every movie from here on out be shot in the style of Cloverfield, but what the movie has done is show what great storytelling in film is all about. The movie is direct, to the point, never superfluous, and quite possibly the most fun I've had at the movies in quite some time (not to mention being scared out of my wits more than once). This Blu-ray screening was the first time I'd seen Cloverfield, and I cannot wait to watch it again, especially now with the review complete so I won't be hindered by a computer on my lap and my brain and fingers taking notes. Cloverfield is Paramount's finest Blu-ray disc to date. The video quality is exactly as it should be, and the audio is astounding. The extra features are solid and numerous, and at times fairly entertaining. I cannot guarantee you'll enjoy this movie as much as I did, or not feel any motion sickness, but if you love the movie, are dying to see it for the first time, or need a reference disc, buying this disc is an easy decision to make. Highly recommended!
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