Ness Hutchins

CNMS Major

10 Cloverfield Lane is the second film in J.J. Abrams’ Cloverfield media franchise. This directorial debut by Dan Trachtenberg follows a young woman, Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), after she leaves her fiancé to drive the backroads of rural Louisiana. She is hit by another car, and wakes up to find herself in an underground bunker with survivalist Howard Stambler (John Goodman) and local construction worker, Emmett DeWitt (John Gallagher Jr.) who claim there has been an unknown attack on America’s major cities. Michelle is unsure of who to trust while she adjusts to her new life underground.

As a psychological thriller 10 Cloverfield Land delivers. Trachtenberg creates a compelling narrative that brings a fresh perspective to the post-apocalyptic genre. After Michelle wakes from her crash in an underground cell she, and the audience, have to decide whether or not to accept that the world is under siege in order to survive. Michele’s limited perspective of the events unfolding around her guides the audience in one direction while being blindsided by abrupt changes in the course of action as the plot progresses The viewer is consistently lead into a false sense of security only to upend what appeared to be true, leaving one with a great sense of unease. Despite the continuous plot twists within the narrative, the overarching storyline is easy to follow.

The mood is further heightened by interesting shot compositions and purposeful jump-scares. Trachtenburg makes use of tight shots to amplify feelings of hysteria and claustrophobia. In one scene Michelle has to crawl through a vent to reboot the air filter for the shelter. The close up of her face while she inches her way through the ducts showcases her frantic facial expressions, while the audience artificially senses the cramped atmosphere. Trachtenburg also employs the use of jump-scares during tense moments to induce panic. Usually jump-scares are a hallmark of b-movie horror and poor cinematography, but Trachtenburg uses them artfully to mirror the shock of emotions the characters are feeling.  

Winstead, Goodman, and Gallagher each brought personality to their respective roles. With a narrative that only focuses on three characters, the actors needed to be compelling. Little backstory is learned throughout the film, especially about Michelle and Emmett. The viewer instead learns about these characters through their actions and how they handle themselves while trying to survive in a situation that just keeps unraveling. As actions unfold the characters make choices that have more and more immediate repercussions. John Goodman is especially brilliant in his unnerving portrayal of survivalist Howard Stambler. From the very beginning, his performance is disorienting. He reveals facts about himself while slowly demonstrating the volatile nature of his character, leaving the audience to question what is fact and what is fiction.

However, the downfall of 10 Cloverfield Lane is the last fourth of the film. The ending feels disjointed from the rest of the narrative. It answers the biggest question, “What’s happened outside?”, but ultimately leaves even more questions unanswered.

10 Cloverfield Lane stands on its own as a fresh take on the often cliché apocalyptic-fiction theme, as well as being a nice addition to the Cloverfield franchise. Left on a cliffhanger, fans can most certainly expect another Cloverfield installment in the future. Enthusiasts of speculative science fiction or psychological thrillers will enjoy the superb acting and eerie atmosphere of a future that might not be too far away.