In the age of social media, it’s very difficult to surprise moviegoers, but surprises are exactly what <i>JJ Abrams</i>’s <i>Cloverfield</i> franchise aims for.
In 2008 the first <i>Cloverfield</i> movie was released, a found footage film following a group of New Yorkers during a <i>Godzilla</i> style attack on the city. However, it was never made clear what the film was about before it’s actual release, initial publicity consisted of an untitled teaser trailer, allowing for some wild speculation of the nature of <i>Cloverfield</i>, including the possibility it was a live-action adaptation of classic anime <i>Voltron</i>.
…and for some time <i>Cloverfield</i> remained a glorious oddity in the world of found footage movies, a medium of storytelling primarily reserved for horror movies with a supernatural twist.
Suddenly, almost out of nowhere, came <i>10 Cloverfield Lane</i>. A spiritual sequel. The creation of the <i>Cloververse</i>.
<i>10 Cloverfield Lane</i> followed a young woman who following a car accident awakes in an underground bunker, populated by only two other people. The bunker mastermind, and a local handyman who helped him create his impending doom safety net. Her host/captor claims the trio can not leave the bunker due to an attack from an unknown source, which has left the surface uninhabitable. But with no proof the young women begins to question her hosts motives.
While the films protagonist becomes increasingly paranoid, we the audience know there is something to be feared outside, just from the title of the movie. But it still makes for a tense thriller.
<i>Cloverfield</i> had a cryptic publicity campaign, a trailer dropped for <i>10 Cloverfield Lane</i> only a month before it’s release, and <i>The Cloverfield Paradox</i> appeared on <i>Netflix</i> less than two hours after it’s only trailer was shown during <i>Super Bowl LII</i>.
A magnificent piece of marketing? certainly. <i>Paramount</i> claims dropping it on <i>Netflix</i> also made the film instantly profitable. Only future viewing figures will tell us for sure. Sceptics however claim <i>Paramount</i> didn’t feel confident about Paradox’s ability to generate interest, and in turn profits, as it had done with the previous instalments.
Judging by the critical response the latter statement is most definitely true. While <i>Cloverfield</i> and <i>10 Cloverfield Lane</i> respectively enjoy a 77% and 90% fresh rating on <i>Rotten Tomatoes</i>, <i>The Cloverfield Paradox</i> has only achieved a miserly 22%.
In the year 2028 the Earth is experiencing a major energy crisis, with countries on the verge of war over resources. An international group of scientists abroad a space station are testing a particle accelerator, which if successful will solve the world’s energy problems forever, though some theorists believe that success will also mean punching a hole in reality, opening portals to other dimensions.
…and of course, the sceptics were right. (well it would be much of film it all went swimmingly, would it?)
While in the grand scheme of things Paradox does have a few things going for it, it isn’t the thrill ride we’re used to. In fact, it’s all a bit of a mess. While it does work on it’s own internal logic, it often just seems to be weird for weirdness sake, and unable to keep an even tone as a result.
This is most apparent when looking at <i>Chris O’Dowd</i>’s character Mundy, who’s clearly been employed as the comic relieve, except nobody’s told him so. His intended quips fall flat, either due to the writing or his dower deliver, or both. It’s just one of many missteps in a fairly average sci-fi movie.
But there are plus points to be had. We discover where the <i>Cloverfield</i> creatures came from, as the accelerator factures time as well as space. We’re treated to an excellent if underused cast, and a few moments of ‘<i>oh, that’s pretty cool</i>’, especially those last few moments.
Credit also has to be given for a franchise that isn’t afraid to do something drastically different with each instalment. Something which is set to continue if stories are to be believed, with a fourth instalment set during <i>World War II</i>, set to be released later this year.
<b>Have you watched The Cloverfield Paradox? What’s your verdict? and Which is your favourite Cloververse movie thus far?</b>
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