By Alex Villafania
INQUIRER.net

UPDATE: Editor’s note: Added video and photo.

I’M certain Internet-savvy Pinoys will have, at least once, read about “Cloverfield.” The Web is already abuzz with information about the new JJ Abrams film that has been making the virtual rounds since the middle of last year and it won’t be a surprise if giddy movie enthusiasts here already know a bit about “Cloverfield.” Fortunately, all that viral marketing through various websites and social networking sites actually worked well with the movie’s production as the movie became a record breaker for raking in the biggest opening gross ever for a January release. In countries where the movie was first shown last Jan. 18, it’s actually a surprise that there were no user-generated clips showing what the monster looked like, despite the fact that the synopsis was already written, edited and expanded in information sites as Wikipedia. Even up to now, those who watched the film seem to have a conscious, unwritten non-disclosure agreement to even describe or mention what it looked like.

Solar Entertainment Corp. and United International Pictures held a press and VIP screening for “Cloverfield” on Jan. 24 at the Gateway Cineplex in Cubao, Quezon City, and we were among the first in the Philippines to see this highly anticipated movie on the big screen. Here’s a video I took of INQUIRER.net multimedia reporter Erika Tapalla interviewing Selina Gecolea, general manager of the Philippine office of United International Pictures, right before the start of the press screening of “Cloverfield.”

Online Videos by Veoh.com

And here’s a photo I took of (left to right) Erika, Selina and INQUIRER.net multimedia editor Joey Alarilla.

I’ve tried to make this review as spoiler-free as possible, but of course I have to touch on some details, so don’t read on if you absolutely don’t want to learn anything about the movie before you watch it.

“Cloverfield” uses the same cinematographic technique earlier used in “The Blair Witch Project” way back in 1999, which uses a handheld camera to “document” what’s happening and as such, produces a lot of jarring as the camera itself is held up by one of the actors. While shot digitally, the movie is made to appear like a home video with the actors being more natural. While this handheld camera technique could cause dizziness among viewers (keep those barf bags handy), it makes the experience more visceral and more personal. Incidentally, this camera technique plays around with the idea of voyeurism and it works especially well in the age of YouTube and other online video sites. Users of such online video services like it raw, unedited and in-your-face, which is why there is an urge to take “experiences” to the next level using camcorders, digital cameras and especially camera mobile phones. Many scenes in “Cloverfield” show people pulling out their video-capable phones and personal digital assistants to share their videos through any medium.

From the get-go, “Cloverfield” is a monster film and the production team doesn’t make an illusion that it is something better than other monster films in the past, especially from the early black-and-white flicks, which conjured among its viewers the fear of the unknown. The plot formula is still about a huge, seemingly invulnerable creature leveling a city and the human protagonists trying to survive the monster’s rampage. It’s as simple as you could get. However, there are bits of references to 9/11 as buildings collapse due to the monster’s sheer strength, with people moving about like zombies. While the 9/11 reference is somewhat unnecessary, it conjures flashbacks of what transpired during that tragic day and what happens to people in and around ground zero. Regardless of whether the attack is coming from terrorists or a gigantic creature — or in the case of this movie from the US military troops battling the monster — it is the effect on people that is always the same.

The first part of the movie notes that a video camera was found in an area designated as “Cloverfield Site US-447″ (thus the title), an area formerly called Central Park. This points to what may seem to be a post-cleanup drive where the camcorder was found in the aftermath of the monster attack. The “Cloverfield” video shows a group of friends living in the island of Manhattan in New York City. One of the characters, Rob, is going to Japan, leaving his brother Jason, his girlfriend Lily, and his best friend Beth. Jason throws a surprise party for Rob and gives another friend Hud a camcorder to film the party. All this until the monster throws New York City into chaos. There are elements of a love story and personal tragedies along the way. Of course, it would be hard to summarize the story as it would literally kill the anticipation but rest assured that the human story, as told by the movie’s characters, will not disappoint.

And as for the movie’s main attraction, let’s just say it is huge and is nowhere close to that fan-made monster artwork that is making its rounds on the Internet. The monster’s true nature is neither explained nor identified. Not even the US Army’s arsenal of weapons of mass destruction could seem to make a dent on the monster. Its body will not become entirely visible but some of its parts, especially its legs, will be clear. Suffice to say that just one of its legs could break the back of the US-made Godzilla. And yes, it is not alone. I’ll leave you with that.

Just watch it.