Boy, I did not see this coming. Let me explain. I've been anticipating this movie since the teaser trailer appeared in front of Transformers last summer. I've checked the Internet rumors once a week about this film trying to uncover the secret. This is the big idea from producer J.J. Abrams. It wasn't the movie selling itself, but rather the advertising and slow unveiling, piece by piece, of Cloverfield to the public that will bring in the money. I haven't walked out of a science-fiction movie this pleased in quite a while. Of the 3 movies I saw this weekend, I did not picture Cloverfield being my favorite. I was preparing myself to write a review telling people it's a love/hate style. The shaky camera was the big controversy here. Are people going to be able to stand it? Well, that's a non-issue since it's not that bad. The only shakes are when they are panicking and running. I don't need to watch the guy in front me running away. I expected to be writing some kind of warning. I was way off. Every one of you should see the movie. Why? Let's find out...

9/11 Revisited: My biggest hope for the film was it's ability to recreate the terrors of 9/11. Godzilla was Japanese film's allegory to the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Godzilla represented the beast that was the atom bomb being unleashed on the Japanese. The terror it invoked upon the people of Japan made the classic film a perfect representation of terror. Cloverfield did just that. It didn't need a soundtrack or perfectly timed high-pitch squeals to freak out the audience. There was no background music at any point (music at the party doesn't count). This allowed it to be a true-to-life experience for the viewer. It's not a Hollywood representation of terror. There is no Michael Bay in this movie. The reality of 9/11 is brought into this movie and fuels the reality of it. Watching it you can't help but remember 9/11. The billowing smoke from collapsed skyscrapers, the fear of not knowing what is happening or what is safe, and the overall experience of terror inflicted on Manhattan.

What You See Is What You Get: The best feature of Cloverfield is it's lack of a backstory. Most monster movies feel the need to create some kind of extra plot. A love torn by war or disaster. Although there is a hint of romance, it doesn't conflict with the pace or the reality of what is going on. It serves more as a catalyst for the movement of the movie than distracting it from its main focus. The video camera found beneath the rubble by the government long after the movie ends is simply played for the audience. That's all this movie is. We are watching the feed of a video camera that this group of victims brought with them during a 7-hour span. That's it. No crazy scientists going into space to find out if the monster is some alien. No heroes saving the world. The movie excels because of it's ability to show you things without explanation. But you aren't sitting in the theater saying, "Wait, what just happened? That made no sense!"

Mesmerizing: Rarely do I become completely immersed in a movie. I can't think of another word to better describe Cloverfield than mesmerizing. You can't help but sit on the edge of your seat and wonder what's coming next. There is no backstory necessary. You give a shit about these characters because you are there too. You really do feel like you are the one carrying the camera around, even though somebody is obviously behind it talking. His jokes are well-timed and not forced. It lets us laugh more than we cringe or scream. The lack of music is what allows it to feel so real, though. A science fiction movie has never felt so true. If you can watch Cloverfield and not get caught up in the monster obviously being absurd in nature, it becomes a mesmerizing experience. The movie isn't about a monster. It's not like King Kong. The monster is not the central figure in any way for this movie. Rather, you are the central figure. The monster is just there. He is the catalyst for the plot, but frankly, not even a character in itself. A sequel exploring the scientific side of Cloverfield would be an interesting idea.

The monster doesn't matter. People are going to see this movie and criticize the beast(s) that are created, but that's not the point here. In fact, if J.J. Abrams felt America was ready for a terrorism movie, I'm sure he would have had suicide bombers, not monsters. It's just a bit easier to watch some otherworldly creature tearing our world apart than other humans. Even if it is identical in nature to the attacks of 9/11. The only issue I have with Cloverfield is the drawn out party scene in the opening. It was a dry attempt to introduce the characters beyond simply stating their names and occupation. But in a movie that represented human terror in the most realistic way in movie history, Cloverfield was a giant success.