Beyond the incredible marketing, “The Cloverfield Paradox” is a bit of a mess.
Overall, I am a big fan of the Cloverfield universe. “10 Cloverfield Lane” was one of my favorite films of 2016, and one of my favorite thrillers of all time. It is a wonderful little film. So, I was really looking forward to the next Cloverfield movie.
We knew it was coming, but no one knew the title or when it was going to be released.
You can imagine my surprise when the 30-second trailer played during the Super Bowl, only to announce it would be released on Netflix immediately after the game, which has never been done before.
It was an incredible experience. In this day and age, it is very rare to be surprised by a movie anymore.
As soon as the Super Bowl ended, I opened Netflix, and started the newest entry into this new universe, “The Cloverfield Paradox.”
This movie is a lot of fun. It is wacky and weird, and takes some risks I enjoyed. However, having sat on it for a while, and removing myself from the experience, the movie is a bit of a mess.
“Paradox” is a science fiction horror film, with a little bit of heart. Dealing with alternate realities and different dimensions provides many opportunities to have some fun, and the first half of the movie is a blast to watch. However, about halfway through, they abandoned all the weird and fun aspects I was really enjoying, and I think this hurt the movie.
Apart from the main character, there is hardly any character development. Thinking back now, I could not tell you most of the character’s names. I did not really care when some of the characters died, as much as I cared about how they died. It is the type of movie where if it looks cool or is creative, then I am in.
There are two separate stories told throughout the movie, and I did not really understand why they kept cutting back to one specifically. It feels like the only reason they cut back is just to show what is happening on Earth, which does not affect the main characters up in the satellite.
The overall experience of “The Cloverfield Paradox” was great. To experience a part of entertainment history like this was really an amazing opportunity. But the overall movie sits at a solid “okay.” I would give it 6.5 out of 10 stars.
If you like these types of movies, it is on Netflix and is not going to cost you anything to have a fun time. If you are interested in jumping into the Cloverfield universe, or just want a great movie night, start with “10 Cloverfield Lane.”
Let me know your thoughts on the film by visiting The Reflector’s Facebook page, tweeting The Reflector on Twitter or emailing [email protected].