Step 1: Can you keep a secret? 10 Cloverfield Lane seemingly came out of nowhere, thanks to clever shielding from producer J.J. Abrams, but what Abrams and company did under the cloak of secrecy is produce one of the best psychological thrillers to come along in awhile. It’s a real helluva ride.
Step 2: Don’t call it a sequel. Abrams has referred to 10 Cloverfield Lane as a “blood relative” because it is a completely new story that has ties to Cloverfield but is definitely not a sequel. You might remember that the 2008 surprise hit is a found-footage film about a group of New York friends trying to find safety after an giant alien being attacks the city. 10 Cloverfield Lane revolves around Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a woman who gets into a really bad car accident and wakes up to find herself on a mattress on the floor of what looks like a basement, an IV in her arm and her leg chained to a pipe. Not a good sign, she fears, but in walks Howard (John Goodman), who informs her that he saved her life and that they are now safe in a bunker he has built near his farmhouse. He also tells her that the air outside has been contaminated by a widespread chemical attack, and she can’t leave – at least for another two years or so. And make no mistake, this is Howard’s show, and he rules with an iron hand.
Step 3: Smell something rotten. There is one more person with them, Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.), a young man who helped Howard build the shelter. When the shit goes down outside, he begs Howard to take him in. The feisty Michelle is not at all convinced and really wants to get out of there, but after a particularly harrowing moment, she is finally forced to believe that something is definitely wrong outside, so, she tries to settle in. Now, we kinda already know things are indeed fubar – maybe for totally different reasons – but Michelle doesn’t know the exact reason why she’s stuck with two strangers as her world ends. What she does know is that Howard may not be playing with a full deck, and while she has been getting along with him, she soon believes he may actually be dangerous. Then, the film becomes an escape mission, and you’re just clenching your teeth as she tries to do just that.
Step 4: Watch the character study. Winstead, an underrated actress who has done great work in films like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Live Free or Die Hard, easily makes the spunky, intelligent Michelle her own, and you believe 100 percent in her abilities to escape her predicament. Goodman as well just scares the hell out you, turning in one of his best performances in a long time. Because this excellent veteran actor usually plays such goodhearted characters, you forget how menacing he can also be (anyone remember Barton Fink?). Gallagher Jr, probably best known as Jim in the HBO series Newsroom, nicely rounds out the trio of performances as the simple-minded Emmett, who has enough sense to follow Michelle’s lead, rather than stay loyal to Howard.
Step 5: Create the environment. Director Dan Trachtenberg makes his feature film debut with 10 Cloverfield Lane, and it’s clear he listened to producer/mentor Abrams’ advice (you just know Abrams helped him with this). Let’s start with that car crash scene, which is woefully intense. When watching a movie and a car is hit out of nowhere, it makes you jump and your heart starts beating a mile a minute; this one does all that and more. Trachtenberg immediately sets the tone with that scene, and you quickly realize you’re not going to be very comfortable in your seat. Also bolstered by a well-crafted screenplay (one of the writers is Whiplash‘s Damien Chazelle), Cloverfield Lane‘s pacing is impeccable. The movie hums, jumps, flips, slams and provides just about all the thrills you want in a psychological thriller. With all that being said, we then get to the last one-fourth of the movie. Whoa. Let’s just say, Michelle’s survival instincts go into hyper drive.
Step 6: Strong arm it. Make sure to bring someone with you who doesn’t mind if you unexpectedly grab their arm. 10 Cloverfield Lane is definitely that kind of movie and an absolute must-see.