10 Cloverfield Lane – review

10 Cloverfield Lane is the spiritual successor to the film Cloverfield. While they are in the same fictional universe both movies can stand on their own independently.  The acting in 10 Cloverfield Lane is great and the isolated mood and scares are legitimate. The characters are interesting and have depth.

Michelle, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, has recently broken up with her fiancé. While driving through Louisiana she gets in a car accident. Michelle wakes up in the underground bunker of Howard, played by John Goodman. Howard nurses her wounds but won’t let her out of the bunker. He tells her that there has been an attack and to leave the bunker would be certain death. Michelle has to determine if Howard is telling the truth or if he is just crazy and won’t let her leave.

The actors all do an amazing job but the one that stood out the most was John Goodman. He is very realistic and scary as Howard. He pulls off a fantastic sociopath and it is a performance that makes the movie worth seeing. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is not just a damsel in distress and there are some tense moments that are very well performed.

The story in the bunker is very intense and the inclusion of Emmett, played by John Gallagher Jr. makes the dynamic between characters must more frightening. The ending almost seems like they changed to a different movie. This change did not make the movie bad but it also was not a huge surprise. The fact that this is a “Cloverfield” movie and attempting to be part of that franchise makes the ending less of a shock.

10 Cloverfield Lane is a fun movie that is certainly worth watching. It seems open to creating sequels. However, the idea of making stand alone films seems like a smart way to expand their universe.  It is entertaining and creates feelings of tension that will have you talking long after the film has ended.