Abrams’ you-didn’t-see-this-coming announcement was an effective piece of theatre, which the film itself ably lives up to. A thriller that winds you tighter and tighter before its secrets come tumbling out in a cathartic finale.
Unlike the found-footage twist of the horror film it takes its name from, this clever thriller packs no tricks but tremendous tension into John Goodman’s survivalist bunker.
Cloverfield was all about making viewers gasp and pant; 10 Cloverfield Lane demands you hold your breath. As unnerving as it is surprising.
The answers to these increasingly thorny questions play out across 103 tense-as-hell minutes, like a three-way Misery with vague sci-fi rumblings in the background.
This is very superior genre fare – a doomsday tale that manages to be slick, creepy and intimate, while even managing to throw in some final-reel pyrotechnics.
After a particularly dull Oscar season, this is a refreshing and extremely satisfying palate cleanser.
A tightly controlled tale in which a smart premise is executed to its full potential, 10 Cloverfield Lane is a very welcome surprise and one that will have you biting your fingernails until the very last moments.
A twisty tale of a woman who wakes up in a bunker with two men, one of whom claims to have saved her from a catastrophe.
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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