Cloverfield

NEW YORK (CNS) -- "The Blair Witch Project" meets "Independence Day" with a high-tech Godzilla thrown in for good measure in "Cloverfield" (Paramount). The skillful rearrangement of familiar elements, however, makes for an effective exercise in horror.

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Rob Hawkins (Michael Stahl-David) is a young New York executive who's recently landed a desirable job in Japan. At his going-away party, organized by his brother, Jason (Mike Vogel), are Jason's girlfriend, Lily Ford (Jessica Lucas), quietly self-assured Marlena Diamond (Lizzy Caplan) and the young woman who's awakened Rob's interest, Beth McIntyre (Odette Yustman).

Also in attendance is garrulous, unthinking Hudson "Hud" Platt (T.J. Miller), who soon finds himself corralled into videotaping the guests' individual tributes to Rob. With characteristic enthusiasm, Hud manages to turn this simple request into a commission to "document" the entire evening, including at least one conversation that is clearly not meant to be overheard.

The comings and goings of a perfectly ordinary social event -- including Beth's angry departure after a quarrel with Rob -- are suddenly interrupted by a series of explosions. Television news reports of a possible earthquake are superseded by a far more terrifying reality: A rampaging monster of gargantuan proportions has invaded Manhattan and is tearing it to pieces.

As evacuation routes are rapidly cut off, Rob resolves not to flee the city until he can rescue Beth. Together with Lily, Marlena and the still-taping Hud, he tries to reach Beth's neighborhood through a subway tunnel. But by now there are a host of many-legged, flesh-consuming creatures underground, spawned by the monster; they are critters so fearsome they send even the New York rats scurrying.

Director Matt Reeves' film cleverly contrasts the intimate feel of the ubiquitous camcorder with the vast scale of the havoc being unleashed. "Cloverfield" also benefits from believable characters and a script rich in deadpan humor.

Some scenes, such as those that show buildings dissolving into clouds of debris, and dust-covered characters taking refuge inside a shop, seem designed to exploit memories of Sept. 11. This is also not a film for those prone to seasickness, as the camera swings, rolls and dips dizzyingly throughout.

A field of clover this may not exactly be, but Reeves can be commended for exercising relative restraint in a genre often lacking that attribute.

The film contains some graphic images of the wounded, two uses of the f-word, pervasive crude and frequent profane language, and sexual references. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

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Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops