Director: Dan Trachtenberg
Cast: John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Gallagher Jr., Bradley Cooper, Douglas McGriffin, Suzanne Cryer, Sumalee Montano, Frank Mattke
Rating: B+
The stage setting for 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE is a young girl trapped in a bunker with two other people, not knowing if she is safe or in danger. The female captive is determined to outsmart the host of her new home and figure out a way to escape from the steel dugout. Director Dan Trachtenberg teams up with producer J.J. Abrams to bring us a film connected to 2008’s CLOVERFIELD… but make no mistake, 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE is not a sequel but rather another chapter in this mystery sci-fi thriller, a very unsettling film filled with suspense, paranoia, and even humor. This is a must-see that will keep you on the edge of your seat with your heart in your throat.
After breaking off her engagement, Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) packs up her stuff, jumps in her car, and heads west somewhere in the Lake Charles area. Distracted by her fiancé Ben’s (Bradley Cooper) phone calls, Michelle is suddenly side swiped by another vehicle and her car crashes violently leaving her unconscious in a ditch. She wakes up to find herself in a room chained to the side of a make shift bed. Naturally, not knowing where she is or why she is chained to a bed completely freaks Michelle out, and as she struggles to break her chains in stomps Howard (John Goodman), a large looming hulk of a man whose size alone is enough to make someone very wary. Howard explains to Michelle that he rescued her from the car crash. He informs her that the world above is under attack and that they are now housed in an underground bunker that he built. With plenty of food, water, and DVDs on hand, both of them will be safe for at least a year. Howard tells Michelle that everyone she knew is dead, no one is looking for her, and her best bet to keep from harm is to remain as his guest.
Michelle and Howard are also joined by Emmett (John Galllagher Jr.), a construction worker that helped Howard build his safe house. When Emmett saw what he thought was a catastrophic event, he runs to take refuge with Howard and corroborates his story about the destruction of the world. The three roommates start sharing a life together as if they were one happy little family… playing board games, watching movies, cooking and working together to maintain the home they share helps the threesome pass time. With a gentle undercurrent that something is not quite right, it is creepy and uncomfortable watching the trio try to share a normal life under such odd circumstances. The puzzle of whether or not Michelle can trust either of her bunk mates makes for an intriguing watch.
Howard is a wacky survivalist whose conspiracy theories drove him to build his underground safe haven. He is determined to keep Michelle and Emmett with him because to let them go would only put them in grave danger. Always suspicious of Howard, Michelle is not convinced that he has anyone’s best interest at heart. Howard pleads with his two guests to believe that he is only trying to protect them from the dangers above.
This clever film focuses on three people in closed quarters with terror lurking around each corner of the tiny dwelling. A subplot surrounding the mystery of Howard’s teenage daughter is woven seamlessly into the story, adding to the foreboding feeling to this spine-chiller. Most of the film’s focus is on the building tension between the three main characters as they try to outsmart each other. In the last portion of the production, Michelle faces a rather bizarre and shockingly unexpected threat. This is a film that could have gone terribly wrong with three stories going on simultaneously, but is beautifully crafted to keep audiences totally engaged.
All three of our actors are brilliant and perfectly cast. Winstead’s physical appearance leads you to believe that she is a fragile waif that is no match for anyone, but the actress is convincing as a smart and assertive determined young woman that won’t take anything lying down. She effectively plays a girl not afraid of taking risks, and each action she takes causes pivotal moments in the storyline. Winstead’s performance at the end is amazing and adds to the tension and harrowing dilemma her character must overcome to survive. Gallagher is a warm southern boy next-door type that adds humor and heart to the strange living conditions. Goodman knocks it out of the park portraying a man whose conspiracy theories drive him to create his house of fear. In what has to be one of Goodman’s best big screen performances, he brings out the complexity of his character and displays sides of a person whose mind is cluttered with paranoia but is genuinely concerned about others. He manages to keep audiences guessing if Howard is a friend or foe which only adds more to the complexity of the plot.
Filled with surprises, 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE is a savvy production that brilliantly leaves the viewer unhinged by the end. Those enjoying the thrill ride will be waiting anxiously for the next chapter.
