“10 Cloverfield Lane” is a satisfying, suspenseful thriller

Above%3A+Mary+Elizabeth+Winstead+and+John+Goodman+star+in+this+plot-twisting+thriller.+Photo+courtesy++of+Paramount+Pictures.

Above: Mary Elizabeth Winstead and John Goodman star in this plot-twisting thriller. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

I don’t really like horror movies– I’m not sure if that’s weird or anything, they’ve just never appealed to me. I’m pretty easily scared, but I don’t really find the sensation of being scared entertaining, as others might. Tension and fear are a different story; when a film can instill those feelings in me I’m usually impressed, but I find that horror stories tend to care more about cheap scares and following a formula than they do about creating something more piercing. It just bores me. I don’t want to dislike horror movies though, and that’s when why I hear something special about one, I’m quick to try to see it. That’s why I went to see “10 Cloverfield Lane”.
I’ll start by saying that “10 Cloverfield Lane” really isn’t a horror movie; it’s more of a psychological thriller, but that’s not to say it isn’t scary. This is a movie with a lot of suspense, especially in its stellar second act. I can’t give away too much without taking away some of the best things about the film, but I’ll give a brief synopsis. While leaving town Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) gets into a car accident, and wakes up to find herself trapped in a bunker with two men, Howard (John Goodman) and Emmett (John Gallagher, Jr). Howard alludes to some sort of crisis outside, forcing himself and Emmett into hiding, after he rescued an unconscious Michelle from her accident. The rest of the movie follows Michelle as she learns more about Howard and Emmett, and comes to fear for her life.
There’s a lot you could say about “10 Cloverfield Lane”, but I’ll keep it simple. Its strengths are in its characters and tone. Michelle is characterized well through the few snippets of information we get about her, and in an odd sort of way, gets a satisfying ending. Howard and Emmett see similar efforts towards characterization, to varying effects. Emmett is likable and Howard is a well-written “villain” character, but Emmett’s stupidity is played up a few too many times for comedy, and Howard’s turn towards the end of the movie feels a bit extreme. Despite any flaws in writing, Goodman’s portrayal of Howard sells the character perfectly, and Emmett manages to be more than a joke.
But what puts this movie together is the overall tone and vibe. The movie is fantastically paced: every scene has consequence, and most of the dialog is snappy and meaningful. Through this, the movie manages to uphold a constant sense of dread. You never know what will happen next, but you know that sooner or later, things are going to take a turn for the worse. A lot of that dread comes from the way the movie manages to frame Howard as an unstable, ticking time bomb.
Another element of note is the theme within the movie. The movie hones in closely on domestic abuse, and it’s very on the nose. Nothing feels disrespectful, and the movie tries hard to be uplifting in the face of it. Honestly, this was one of my favorite parts of the movie, but I don’t feel quite equipped to critique it. These are issues beyond my understanding, and I don’t have the experience to properly address them. I will say this: The film portrays domestic abuse in a wholly respectful way, in my opinion, but those who have actually experienced abuse might see things differently, and I understand that. Overall, I certainly think it adds more to the film than it takes away.
The bad in the movie is a bit less complex– the ending is borderline incomprehensible. I don’t mean that in an experimental art film kind of way, I mean it in a “this doesn’t even remotely feel like it’s a part of the same movie” sort of way. I’ve seen movies throw in random instances of gratuitous content and confusing non-sequiturs, but never a sequence so wholly disconnected from the rest of the film in tone and content. It’s like if “Forrest Gump” added a car chase scene right before the credits; it doesn’t mesh with anything else that happened prior to it, and doesn’t do anything to further the tone or message of the film. It’s just nonsense. Despite that, it’s pretty entertaining nonsense that only slightly ruins the movie, so I won’t spoil anything else.
I think my recommendation is pretty clear: In spite of it’s confusing flaws, “10 Cloverfield Lane” is a really really good movie. The pacing in the first two acts is phenomenal, the tone is tense and involving, the characters fill the roles they play well, and it manages to feel full and satisfying despite its confusing ending. If you’re looking for a good thriller, it’s right here.