10 Cloverfield Lane is a film from 2016 that consists of a very small cast and a limited space set – and that is all it needs.
The trio having an uncomfortable discussion / Picture Credit: Bad Robot Productions
The film really challenges making a sci-fi or mild horror movie in such a small space, and we love that about it. Using only three main characters alongside a voice cameo from Bradley Cooper (for no apparent reason) and one other actor is a genius move, as flooding this flick with actors and props would have made it a lot less impressive.
We follow Michella (Mary Elizabeth Winsted) for the first part of the film after she leaves her home and her fiancé, driving off into the night. She is then hit by a truck.
Once she wakes up, she is bound and hooked up to an IV line – as well as having some form of metal contraption on her broken leg. She of course panics and tries to escape but this grabs the attention of the stranger who seems to be keeping her... safe?
Howard (John Goodman) enters Michelle’s room and calmly explains to her that aliens have poisoned the air above and that this bunker he has built and brought her to is their only hope to survive.
Once Michelle is allowed to leave the room she meets Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.), who says he was not brought here like she was – he fought to get inside the bunker.
After Michelle’s failed attempt to escape and her seeing a woman with a rather burnt face trying to get inside the bunker, she is more inclined to believe Howard’s not-so-crazy after all story and tries to settle into the bunker.
After some time, Michelle becomes sick of Howard’s increasingly creepy behaviour and Emmett’s unquestioned compliance of Howard’s rules.
So as you might expect, Michelle talks Emmett into getting out of the bunker. They secretly create a hazmat suit using the survival books in the bunker and Michelle’s expertise in tailoring.
Safe to say all is not well once this plan begins, and everything gets worse once Howard finds out the pair’s plans to escape…
This movie may not be an action-packed couple of hours, but it is interesting, sinister and highly watchable.
The set for the bunker is absolutely amazing, and as Howard takes Michelle on a tour when she first arrives we see the kitchen, complete with a stove and a working sink, the bathroom with running water and a toilet, and all the games, books and VHS tapes he has. He has even put a jukebox down there – not too shabby, right?
The performances given by this small ensemble are just as brilliant, with Goodman nailing the wooden and indignant Howard; and Winsted’s perfectly done resilient character who does not take everything at face value, unlike Gallagher’s character, Emmett who seems to just be along for the ride.
The vibe of the bunker is always a little baleful, as even while the trio play games Howard gets angry and the whole atmosphere of the set changes from light but still slightly worrying, to dark and daunting.
Howard’s mood seems to change the tone of the whole film, from the other character’s comfort levels to the bunker, and it is perfect casting to pick Goodman for this role.
There are plot points you probably wouldn’t expect, such as Howard’s past (if it even is his past), the view of the outside when Michelle makes a run for it, and the fate of Emmett.
Every single thing in this film is there for a reason, from the books on the shelves to the breakdown of the ventilation system – not one thing feels unnecessary and it makes this flick an incredible watch.
10 Cloverfield Lane really goes for it with the simplistic style and small cast and it really, really pays off. The ending ties into the 2008 film Cloverfield as you might have guessed, and in such a simple yet splendid way.
In the end, it turns out that Howard was wrong about the air, but he may have been right about everything else…
Written by Melissa, who you can follow on Twitter @melissajournal
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Tagged in John Goodman Sci Fi