Certification. 12A
Running Time. 1 hour 43 mins
Director. Dan Trachtenberg
Cast. John Gallagher Jr, John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead.
Rating. 70%
Written by two first-time screenwriters, Josh Campbell and Matthew Stuecken, the screenplay for 10 Cloverfield Lane is highly inventive and immediately intriguing. Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) fleeing from a failing relationship spectacularly crashes her car, knocking her unconscious. She wakes to find herself handcuffed to a bed in an underground bunker. But has she been imprisoned or has she been saved?
Either way, without elaborate exposition, Michelle knows she's in trouble. She's presumably seen the likes of Breakdown, Saw and Room.
The uncertainty is one of the film's great strengths. The motivation of the captor, Howard (John Goodman) and the character dynamics as Michelle attempts to manage the relationship.
The other plus is the intensity of the action, albeit with limited characters. The cramped conditions never feel claustrophobic. First-time director Dan Trachtenberg favours a slow build, creating an ominous sense of foreboding throughout.
Winstead makes a strong, resourceful and appealing lead and Goodman plays the bipolar, crazed control freak, full of rage and cordiality in equal measure. He fully capitalises on his imposing presence - hulking, hostile and wildly unpredictable, continually hinting at a more sinister narrative.
There is a loose relationship with Cloverfield (2008), Matt Reeves' found-footage creature feature from 2008. Both films were produced by J.J. Abrams, but 10 Cloverfield Lane is more of a successor, rather than a sequel to Cloverfield. Some will find the final attention-grabbing act, which sees a dramatic shift in style and tone, as bold. Others may feel that the film's conclusion is lifted out of another film entirely. One thing is for certain, the paradoxical conclusion will certainly divide the audience.
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