The Big Picture

• 10 Cloverfield Lane surprises with a unique twist, keeping viewers guessing until the final act.
• Mary Elizabeth Winstead shines in a gripping performance, solidifying her status as an action star.
• While the movie has a fantastic villainous performance from John Goodman, Winstead steals the show as Final Girl Michelle.

One of the existential questions that creative collaborators behind franchise projects face in the current entertainment landscape is how to market films without setting unrealistic expectations for the audienceg. While trailers serve an important role in building anticipation for an upcoming release, they often give away too much or include footage that is ultimately removed from the final edit. It becomes increasingly challenging for films connected to major franchise properties to pull off any major twist without fans discovering it first. J.J. Abrams and Bad Robot managed to pull a genuine shock with the release of the science fiction thriller 10 Cloverfield Lane.

The 2008 found footage monster movie Cloverfield had been a surprise hit that hid many of its twists until audiences were already in the theater; while Abrams’ “mystery box” gimmick isn’t always successful, Cloverfield was a film in which going in blind aided the experience. While rumors about a sequel persisted for years, 10 Cloverfield Lane’s title and connection to the first film were revealed only a few months before its wide theatrical release. Those expecting another kaiju-centric disaster movie were in for a surprise, as 10 Cloverfield Lane was a tightly constructed suspense thriller with a terrific “Final Girl” performance from Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

What Is ‘10 Cloverfield Lane’ About?

10 Cloverfield Lane opens by teasing its connection to the first film, as broadcast news footage suggests that there has been a series of worldwide blackouts; viewers are left to assume that this may be a result of the attack on New York City in Cloverfield. Despite establishing a broader context, 10 Cloverfield Lane is a confinement thriller primarily set in one location. After an emotionally charged argument with her boyfriend Ben (Bradley Cooper in a vocal cameo), Michelle (Winstead) hurriedly drives through Louisiana to get away from him. After a car crash renders her unconscious, Michelle wakes up chained to a wall in the home of the conspiracy theorist Howard (John Goodman). Howard informs Michelle that he has rescued her and that the planet’s surface is under attack by an alien threat.

10 Cloverfield Lane works because the audience is exposed to the same amount of information that Michelle is; initially, she assumes that Howard is either delusional or masking some sinister ambitions. The information is slowly fed to the viewer through Michelle’s interactions with Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.), a young man who has also been taken as Howard’s captive. Both characters try to pool their knowledge to determine the truth; evidence of an alien invasion is minimal, but Howard appears to be sincere in his intentions. It’s a credit to the strong chemistry between Winstead and Gallagher Jr. that the film manages to create tension when there isn’t action onscreen. Although it’s nice to see the friendship that emerges between them, a greater fear of the unknown is lurking in the background.

While Winstead’s performance is one of her best, 10 Cloverfield Lane features an incredible villainous turn from Goodman. Howard is a frightening character because he doesn’t see himself as a villain; he has a paternal, protective attitude toward both Emmett and Michelle, implying that his knowledge and responsibility have led him to make difficult decisions. Like Michelle, the viewer is forced to constantly question his sanity, and new details about Howard’s past unearth potentially disturbing secrets. Howard makes references to a daughter that he once had; Michelle is left to wonder the nature of her disappearance, and why Howard has kept it such a closely guarded secret.

‘10 Cloverfield Lane’ Is a Stealthy Sequel

In its first two acts, 10 Cloverfield Lane feels like a straightforward suspense film reminiscent of the works of Alfred Hitchcock. However, 10 Cloverfield Lane reveals its connection to the larger Cloverfield franchise in its final act. After finally escaping from Howard’s bunker, Michelle escapes and encounters an alien ship that attempts to attack her. It’s a shocking twist that recontextualizes the entire film; while Michelle has assumed that Howard created a fake story in order to keep her from leaving, the craft’s appearance suggests he may have had some foresight about the invasion. While he may not have been as delusional as she once imagined, Howard’s abusive and neglectful behavior is still inexcusable; the twist makes him a more dynamic villain.

The hard slant into science fiction could have been a bad creative choice, as Winstead was not initially aware she was filming a Cloverfield sequel. However, Michelle’s battle with the alien craft serves as an appropriate conclusion to her character arc. By using the skills that she learned whilst surviving in Howard’s bunker, Michelle is able to fight for her survival. The final shot indicates that she is no longer constrained or controlled by the men in her life; without Ben or Howard to tell her otherwise, Michelle heads into the thick of danger to help those in need.

‘10 Cloverfield Lane’ Proves Mary Elizabeth Winstead Is an Action Star

Given how isolated the story’s focus is, 10 Cloverfield Lane is only effective because of Winstead’s performance. The viewer is left to empathize with Michelle as she finds increasingly creative ways to divert Howard’s attention, whilst researching the parameters of her confinement. She serves as a very different type of horror movie “Final Girl;” while at first Michelle has to feign being docile to appease Howard, she shows her true resilience in her final escape.

Her performance’s importance cannot be overstated, as the subsequent sequel The Cloverfield Paradox failed without Winstead’s involvement. Released on Netflix in another surprise release, the third entry in the Cloverfield franchise failed to wrap up the narrative threads of the first two films. Despite an impressive cast, Winstead’s Michelle stands out as one of the most empowering and exciting final girls in recent cinema.

10 Cloverfield Lane is streaming on Pluto TV in the U.S.

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