This movie is AWESOME! You must see it in the theater. It is not a typical January release because most action films are reserved for summer, but even 5 months from now, nothing could compare to the excitement Cloverfield gives you. You will stay on the edge of your seat for its entirety. Cloverfield was a team effort: J.J. Abrams, Matt Reeves, and Drew Goddard are connected by their work on Lost, Alias and Felicity. Like these three TV shows the movie has a mysterious monster, takes place on an island, in an urban environment, features a capable relatively unknown inexpensive cast of actors, a mission and relationships that push the plot forward to keep the audience’s interest. The tape you are about to watch was found in an area “formerly known as Central Park.” You can already imagine the ending so it’s how it got to Central Park that matters. Rob has gotten a promotion that requires him to move to Japan. The characters’ relationships are revealed as Hud captures testimonials wishing Rob luck at his good-bye party. Suddenly there is a citywide blackout and presumed earthquake. The guests go to the roof for a better look when a skyscraper is destroyed and the debris cloud comes down as some thing screams. The group of friends goes to the streets and comes within a few feet away of the Statue of Liberty’s head rolling over them. What follows is complete panic, destruction and military action. Rob gets a call from Beth and decides to go rescue her at her midtown apartment. Lily, Marlena and Hud accompany him against better judgment because they have nothing left to loose. Their journey lasts through the night to the next morning. What slightly ruins the story’s plausibility are Lily and Marlena not caring they have been running for hours in heels and a girl so badly hurt she should be dead but instead has enough adrenaline to keep going. However, they are minor issues relative to Cloverfield being a new beloved film. It adheres to the disaster formula but has just enough changes to differentiate it. It is no surprise that the military’s only defenses against the monster are bombs and other nuclear weapons. The writers choose this method not because of a lack of creativity, but because of what the government is prone to do in threatening situations. There is no musical score or soundtrack except for a few party songs at the beginning, the monster’s constant screams and the sounds of the military’s weapons exploding. Cloverfield can satisfy anyone not prone to motion sickness. There are pathos for the characters (despite how idiotic their mission to save a damsel in distress is), racing heartbeat action with just enough minutes to catch your breath, the destruction of New York City (featured in almost all disaster films), a monster you don’t get a close clear shot of until the end and a great ending that wraps up everything. As said before and must be said again, this movie is AWESOME!