A modern version of the old-fashioned mega-monster movie, Cloverfield is seen through the camcorder of a group of young people who've gathered for a going away party, shown to us as archival footage from the area called Cloverfield, formerly known as Central Park. Once their party is interrupted, our main characters go on a quest to save a true love from a giant monster while an entire city collapses.

Basically another "little story in a big story" flick, which I do like. The characters appealed to me enough that I really did feel invested in the story. The other style of the film is the one that's going to have half of movie goers calling for their money back, it's that Blair Witch controversy all over again. I just hope monster movie fans can get past all the hype and gimmicks and enjoy a pretty good movie.

I'll be honest, I find it a little annoying too. For the most part, the shakey-cam does add a little to the flavor and can be used effectively to change the mood of what's happening. That being said, about halfway into the movie it's really annoying. I'm not a gimmick person, I don't like them at all. I didn't like the scratches on the film in Grindhouse, I don't like the CGI-style of Beowulf, I'm just a big fan of a movie being shown in the way that least intrudes upon my viewing experience.

But it wasn't that bad. Throughout the movie we'll see little flashes of event that happened previously, and seeing the young couple so happy, then coming back to the carnage really set a good horror mood each time it was used. Also Cloverfield really follows that old idea of letting the anticipation build up so that when you really get to see the monster it seems all the more rewarding. That really worked here. The shakey camera sneaks the audience little bits of the monster from street level, what we get to see grows slowly toward the end of the movie where it all pays off pretty well.

I've heard that there were a few people upset that the monster attacked the Statue of Liberty and New York because it reminded them of the 9-11 attacks. If you're one of these people, please stop being a vagina, you're just annoying the rest of us.

Still, at it heart there's not enough of the story here for me. The execution was really great, the story about the main characters was really good, but I did feel a little cheated on the monster story. I've told you that whole story already, a monster attacks NYC, that's really it. Some great visuals and an enthralling plot, but I wasn't satisfied.

Well done, though. Entertaining and impressive once the story got started, I can't say that I didn't enjoy Cloverfield, but I did see some flaws that will piss a lot of viewers off. Some of the other theatergoers were obviously a little irritated as the credits silently rolled, more than a couple moans and snide comments could be heard. People looking for a Godzilla remake would probably be happier with the one with Matt Broderick, but if you're looking for something new and big, this is a good call.

My verdict is that this is a good movie, but it just doesn't live up to the expectations of such a powerful marketing campaign. That added to a style that's hard to enjoy and the ending, this movie might need a bigger monster.

7 out of 10 questions I really wanted answered about exploding hot chicks

Oddly, shaky cam has never thrown me. Yes it's a total gimmick but when it's used as it is in this film- to create a sense of realism that might not otherise be achieved- I'm fine with it.
I enjoyed Cloverfield a lot more than I had expected to. No, it doesn't quiite live up to the hype generated by the brilliant viral campaign, but it's still a damn fine flick.

In response to the seemingly shortchanged monster element of the film..m well, the point of the movie was to demonstrate the confusion and panic which would accompany a catastrophic attack on a major metropolis by something like this creature. I actually applauded the way they kept images of the monster fleeting until the end of the film. I also felt that the lack of an explanation for where or what the thing was worked in favor of the atmosphere Cloverfield had managed to develop throughout it's running time. As a result of these decisions on the creative level, the film feels unsettlingly plausible.

Good story, excellent realization and some memorable shocks add up to one of the better experiences this genre has ever provided fans. The creature looked good, the cast got the job done and when the credits rolled, I was glad I had taken the time to see it.

Eight out of Ten Terrifying Critter Close Ups.

I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I told my friends who didn't catch it that I would see it again with them. And I think The Horrorist really hit it on the head with this review.

I guess I can tolerate more gimmick though. The shake and wobble AT FIRST made me a little dizzy, but I got used to it quickly.

Really the only thing that I was disappointed in was depth and explanation. Yes, I understand the point was to be totally in the WTF point-of-view, and yes I applaud the merits of knowing very little about the villain in these movies. What I'm complaining about are aspects that could very EASILY have been HINTED at, even in this type of movie. And there were one or two times when I felt just flat out cheated.

BUT, the action was amazing. The pacing of the story, the effects, and the characters (particularly given what little we have to work with) all make this a solid film. Not just your average monster movie. Monsters and explosions are good, but this one has that extra touch of care and quality that make it a really fun experience.

8 out of 10 leaning towers of new york

I found this film to be thoroughly entertaining. Easily the most fun I've had at the movies in quite some time. The greatest asset this film has going for it is the lack of answers it provides. The build up to this being released was "what is Cloverfield?" Well I'm happy to say that after seeing it I have more questions then answers.

The atmosphere was genuinely scary and felt very realistic considering how unrealistic the situation was. The acting was top notch and performed by a bunch of no-names to boot. Extremely likable characters. When you finally see the monster in all it's glory it is definitely NOT a let down. Still, you never get to see too much of it which is a very good thing.

My favorite scene in the film involves one of our hero’s gruesome death. I don't know exactly what happened to her but it was genuinely terrifying and I LOVE the fact that I'm not really sure what happened.

Overall I must say I was completely and totally satisfied by this film. I look forward to a sequel with some additional "real life footage"

Easily gets the Marshal's seal of approval.

9.5 out of 10

When this movie first came out, I was one of the people following the viral marketing. There were clues here and there, fake websites, and speculation over what the monster was. This brought so much hype to the movie that some people eventually got turned off by it. Fortunately I was not one of those people.

I was not able to catch this in the theater but I did acquire a copy. After watching it I can gladly say that the marketing stunt was extremely effective and this movie definitely pulled off what it set out to do.

I love a good monster movie. Godzilla, Gamera, King Kong... it's all good to me. This movie, however, takes a page from George Romero. Yes, there's a monster attacking Manhattan but that's secondary next to the story. This movie is about people. I saw a lot of humanity in this and some scenes almost made me cry.

The acting was superb. If there were big name actors then the movie would have sucked. Part of what made everything work was that Matt Reeves let the actors adlib a bit. If they felt that the script wasn't right for that particular scene they were allowed to improvise. This improvisation completely brought the movie to life.

I've never been affected by the shaky cam, so the camera work was ok to me. I was annoyed a little bit at the focus on the camera, but in some scenes it keeps you guessing.

For only $30 million dollars, JJ Abrams did everything right. I find the monster and the parasites downright terrifying. If I was in that situation I probably would have shit my pants when everything first happened.

It almost seems like this is the movie that I've been waiting for my whole life. If you change the monster and have a Godzilla movie shot from the perspective of the people on the street, it becomes horrifying. This was done right and gave us little answers.

There are currently talks of a sequel. Matt Reeves is excited to do one and it's almost guaranteed that it'll be in the same format.

I can't wait for that one either.

9 out of 10 terrible things