Awesome monster flick. The monster looked beastly, but I wish they would have showed it more.
Cloverfield
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Is it age appropriate?
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Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Tense monster movie is loud, hectic -- and scary.
updated 09.28.09
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 13–14
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What Parents Need to Know
This review of Cloverfield was written by Cynthia Fuchs
Parents need to know that this monster movie from the creator of Lost rightly comes with a warning for viewers who are sensitive to unsteady camerawork -- the entire movie is filmed from a handheld perspective, and the images are frequently hectic and loud. Violence includes monster attacks, people running and screaming, people bitten by creatures in dark spaces, explosions, ruined buildings and landmarks, fire, bloody bodies, and military strikes. Some of the imagery initially recalls scenes from 9/11. An early scene shows a young woman in bed (presumably after sex), her naked back and side visible (nothing explicit). A party scene shows cleavage and drinking. Language includes repeated uses of "s--t" and some "damns" and "hells."
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about whether the movie's images remind them of 9/11. Do you think that was intentional? How has that event -- so much of which was captured in the media and shown on television -- affected subsequent horror/action movies?
- Why is New York such an attractive target city in these movies?
- Does the handheld camerawork make the action scarier? Why or why not? What other movies/media have used this approach?
- Is the movie accurate in its depiction of how public events are documented (immediately filmed, commented on, blogged about, etc.) in today's world?
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More on Cloverfield
What’s the Story?
CLOVERFIELD begins quietly: Rob (Michael Stahl-David) wanders through an apartment overlooking Central Park, his video camera alighting on his pretty lover, Beth (Odette Yustman). They flirt and talk about visiting Coney Island, though tensions emerge when that same camera documents Rob's going-away party -- newly promoted at work, he's on his way to Japan. But such trivial concerns are quickly dispelled when a giant, reptilian monster attacks New York in an assault that initially recalls 9/11, with flaming buildings, clouds of dust, and screaming victims. Despite the risk, Rob, Lily (Jessica Lucas), Marlena (Lizzy Caplan), and Hud (T.J. Miller) make their way from downtown to rescue Beth, who's trapped in her midtown apartment. As they skitter along sidewalks and trudge through dark subway tunnels, they dodge the big monster, smaller bat-like creatures, and frightening military assaults.
Is It Any Good?
Combining low-budget grit with spectacular effects, the film uses its tightly focused, handheld documentary premise (recalling The Blair Witch Project) to make the monster plot extra scary. The lack of context or explanation for the attack echoes feelings of panic on 9/11, when no one could anticipate what would happen next. While the romantic quest to rescue Beth provides a recognizable plot and some events will look familiar (looting, collapsing high-rises and bridges, people using cell phones to document disaster), unlike in many similar films, here you can never be sure what's around the next corner.
But for all its mystery, the monster is mostly an excuse for the film's more ambitious experiment: creating characters out of moment-by-moment action, rather than compelling emotion. As they're thrown almost immediately into chaos, none of them are particularly well-drawn or even sympathetic. Instead, they're emotional sketches of fear and uncertainty rather than individuals with backgrounds and futures. As you can see by the several other anonymous figures who pull out their cell phones to capture the turmoil, the movie's characters are of a generation completely at ease with the concept that they should document everything around them, as well as their own "testimonies." Defined by its time and place (post-9/11 America), the film is clever, harrowing, and a wild ride.
Movie Details
Studio: Paramount Pictures, Director: Matt Reeves
Run time: 84 minutes
Theatrical release: 1/17/2008, DVD release: 4/21/2008
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence, terror and disturbing images.
Run time: 84 minutes
Theatrical release: 1/17/2008, DVD release: 4/21/2008
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence, terror and disturbing images.
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Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
Cloverfield
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I rate this title iffy for age 10 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
I thought this movie was pretty good. I recommend it for ages 10+. :)
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I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
e.g. Perfect for tweens or at age 12, but not younger
I loved this movie! It was really good! The only thing that was bad was in the beginning when he did the camera on the naked lady which tweens should cover their eyes for that. And there was violence. I would say kids below the age of 12 couldn't watch it unless they've seen scary movies before and have handled it, like me.
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I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Horror At It's Best
at 84 minutes, it's a perfect length for the story and format the film is presented in (it uses the "shaky cam" motif (it was filmed on a handheld camera) to give the film a gritty and grotesque look, without relying on extreme violence and gore to scare the viewer. While this format does tend to cause motion sicknes in some, it's obviously a very unique and modern approach. Like I stated earlier, this film has no need for extreme gore and violence, but there still is a large amount (cuts and bruises, and one particurly intense and disturbing sequence which causes and unfortunate fate of a main character) and it mainly delivers scares from suspense and the unknown. This film I garuntee will scare the crap out of you and you must see it whenever you get the chance.
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I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
no kids under 12
well i saw this movie a wile back and i think it depends on what your kids can handle that goes for all movies. But this movie has some graphic images of people blowing up and exploding in blood behind a curtain (its PG-13 and they had to keep it that way) But otherwise i really enjoyed this movie i have always loved monster movies and this one was loud,explosive and perfect.
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