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| Director: Matt Reeves
Actors: Michael Stahl-david, Lizzy Caplan, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman, Jessica Lucas
Studio: Paramount Home Entertainment
Category: DVD
List Price: £22.99
Buy Used: £8.89
You Save: £14.10 (61%)
New (14) Used (3) from £8.89
Rating:  16 reviews
Sales Rank: 3574
Format: Pal
Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region: 2
Number Of Discs: 2
Running Time: 81 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 5014437959935
ASIN: B0015S0P7Y
Release Date: June 9, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 6-10 of 16
 is it a true story June 11, 2008
David Jackson (United Kingdom)
3 out of 7 found this review helpful
wow,i saw this film and was mezmorised. That monster is cool. i seen him when i went to NYC but he must have been a baby back then because he was a lot smaller. buy it honestly you ll love it!!!!!!
BEHEMOTH!! (slight spoilers!) June 9, 2008
Adam Jackson (Stoke On Trent , England)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Viewed this at the cinema a couple of months ago, got really into it I have acquired the double disc edition today! br /Really sucks you in with the first 20 minute slow burn and then BANG!!! br /Forget the Blair Witch tags - this is way more professional and despite the hand held digital format this still looks every inch a multi million dollar movie. With Top Quality visual effects work throughout. br /The Monster is a treat! The design is original - kind of like a hybrid of The Rancor (Return Of The Jedi) The Cave Troll (Lord Of The Rings) but far more vicious destructive and GIGANTIC - as in SKYSCRAPER SIZE - MUCH bigger in size than 2005's King Kong or 1998's Godzilla. br /It also looks VERY similiar to the Beast that appears outside the bedroom door in Poltergeist - especially the limbs it's posture. br /You do see enough of it but the less is more approach works. Theories abound on the Internet as to the nature of the beast its origins - to me it looks more extraterrestrial than aquatic although it appears to have arisen from the Atlantic in the film. The Creature, apparently, is a newly hatched infant - If so, just how big are the adults!??! Anyway the US Military fights a losing battle against the leviathan from the get go. br /The smaller parasites that drop from the big creature feel kind of recycled from Starship Troopers but they allow for more direct character interaction are effective - in a chest bursting kind of way... br /Theres a lot of talk mooting a Cloverfield 2 - I'd like to see this, perhaps footage from the POV of the News Channels covering the attack would be interesting? Or even a conventional movie with even more FX shots? br /Anyway if you like scifi, horror or disaster then I'd recommend this. People tend to be polarised on it but for me it worked. It takes a completeley improbable scenario and makes it realistic and very, very intense. Right from 20 minutes in, where the New York skyline explodes and the Statue Of Liberty is decapitated, this film never lets go. br /The sound design at the cinema was unbelievable - every roar, thud, and explosion hit right in the sternum - the DVD will carry this over with a decent home set up. There is no OST to speak of, no misplaced songs or cliched motifs to distract from the story you never notice either. br /The characters and performances are neither iconic nor oscar worthy, however the lack of star-names only adds to the believability value. One character really made me laugh in a rare, darkly humorous scene - recalling an urban legend of killer vagrants in the underground to his distressed female companions at the most inappropriate of times! br / br /A Monster Movie for these troubled times we all have to live through, clearly allegorical to 9/11. br /Plenty of great features on the DVD with some more info on the beastie himself! Loads of cool FX info! br /
 MONSTROUS. June 7, 2008
Paul McColm. (Reading ,England)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Having waited for this movie to be released on dvd, i am pleased to say how impressive Cloverfield actually is.A genuinely original monster movie [ if somewhat disturbing, bearing in mind its obvious use of the terrible events of 9 / 11 as a not so subtle reference point ].It is a tense, intellegent and deliberately downbeat film that cleverly disguises its big budget effects through nifty single shot,or out of alignment camera work.This gives Cloverfield the real sense of putting the viewer right into the thick of the action,in a way that few recent movies have matched. br / br /With some brilliantly tense set pieces [and the occasional flaw],Cloverfield is terrific entertainment,and one of the few movies in recent years to justify its build up. br / br /EXTRAS, br / br /The extras on the second disc are adequate, but an opportunity was missed to fully expand on the Cloverfield phenomenon.Where for example are the excellent "news" stories that previewed the film? These would have been most welcome and genuinely in keeping with the story, as would a documentary outlining the whole internet buzz surrounding the film. br / br /What you do get are 5 minutes of deleted scenes[ of minimal consequence ], 2 alternative endings [ ditto],a "making of" documentary which oddly enough erodes some of the mystique surrounding the film. br /By far the most interesting are the "in film" mini documentaries that are accessable via icons as the film progresses.However be warned they will unintentionally upset the flow of the movie if you decide to watch them as part of your viewing experience ["news" footage or other stuff relating to the plot may have been more useful in keeping with the spirit of the film].After all if we are expected to suspend our belief for 70 odd minutes, maybe the film makers should have encouraged the viewer to fully immerse themselves in the unfolding events of Cloverfield.It may also have been to the films advantage to remain somewhat coy about the actual monster, as the partial shots of its tail,and distance shots are just so effective in maintaining the general air of menace,but these are merely points rather than criticisms, as the finished movie still does a fine job of opening the door for a genuine resurgence in well made monster flicks. br / br /Overall though Cloverfield is a fantastic and slightly disturbing major film, served by nothing more than adequate extras. Expect an "ultimate edition " in the not too distant future.
strongly recommend for some, but not for all.. June 7, 2008
Mark A. Vickers (tokyo)
At last.. a film reflecting mankind's knowledge about extraterrestrial life in the universe (nil, so far). This film is a new and serious benchmark in this genre, raising many questions about ourselves (the human race) as a species, whilst portraying a disturbingly realistic interpretation of potential life that may or may not exist in this vast and unknown universe. Whilst new planets orbiting distant stars are being discovered on an almost daily basis it seems impossible to conceive what form of life (or intelligent life) may exist 'out there', Cloverfield brilliantly represents what may be just a normal day in the life of a particular (and successful) species. br /Whilst the filming style is challenging to the viewer (almost nauseating at times) the underlying message given (almost immediately) could turn out to be an extremely important one for mankind, and one that may indeed shape our future. Overall the film very cleverly underlines our entire lack of knowledge regarding life in the universe (our orion arm of the milky way at the very least, consisting of an estimated 1.5 billion stars - a mere quarter of our own galaxy) and brazenly deviates from the traditionally human-sized lifeforms (such as alien, predator, war of the worlds etc). The subject is an entirely open book. Regarding future generations in particular this may turn out to be one of the most important films within the sci-fi genre made so far.. utterly superb.
This is what cinema is all about June 7, 2008
Liz (Earth)
It is a long time since I sat in a cinema clutching the armrests through nervous excitement, my family-sized bag of maltesers sat unopened and unloved on the seat next to me. This is good old-fashioned film-making designed to rip you from the real world for 90 minutes and leave you exhausted and slightly tingly at the end. The basic premise is simple - big monster attacks New York and a group of not-ugly, GAP-wearing Americans are trying to get out of the city via an un-wise detour in order to rescue the lead male's not-ugly ex-girlfriend who he still loves. Where this film suceeds early on is the shot-gun characterisation and smart exposition in the opening party scene. Everything is seen via a video camera which is a novelty that could have worn off pretty quickly, but the short running time and choppy editing prevents this. From the moment the attack commences less than 20 minutes into the film, the pace is unrelenting. You are really taken in by the sense of disorientation and lack of information that the characters have. You see what they see via the camera, and so without the typical smug 'nowingness' that you normally have as the viewer, you feel what they feel. It's impossible not to compare the scenes of devastation, shock and fear on the character's faces as they try to exit Manhattan Island to the scenes of 9/11. This must have been intentional, and perhaps it puts the film into some kind of political context. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter who or what it is that is attacking you, your friends and your city - your aim is to survive, not to tool up with fancy weapons and kick some butt. The shaky, hand-held camera style may well give those with a more delicate disposition motion sickness, but you musn't let it put you off from one of the most entertaining films from the past 12 months. This is perhaps a film that belongs on the big screen, and having not seen it on DVD yet, I am eager to see if it survives the transition to the small screen. Still, this is essential viewing.
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