By Erik Winther
Image Source: Flickr
“The Cloverfield Paradox” was first announced during this year’s Super Bowl. Only a few hours later, Netflix officially released it on its platform. Many saw this move as brilliant marketing as some critics even thought that it may be a small step towards changing how the movie industry works nowadays. However, the main reason why people got excited was the “Cloverfield” component in the title.
Maybe that’s why, even if the initial excitement was huge, it’s popularity died down quickly after viewers got to actually experience the film and they suddenly realized that a smart marketing strategy cannot always save a bad project.
With a working title of “God Particle”, it’s clear as day that all of the Cloverfield-related parts were added later to attract more audience. The clearest example of this is when a screen in the space station where most of the action takes place shows someone talking about the Cloverfield mission and how it may open the rift between space and time, allowing monsters to come.
If you remember, in the previous installment called “10 Cloverfield Lane”, the characters are dealing with the aftermath of this space mission. This bit was clearly added later as a way of connecting the films even if initially, that was probably not the plan at all.
“The Cloverfield Paradox” and Where It Gets Things Wrong
In the case of “The Cloverfield Paradox”, it’s clear that Paramount wanted a sci-fi film at any cost. So, they fulfilled their wish through Netflix but unfortunately, an average episode of their “Black Mirror” series is a lot better than this attempt. So if you’re a fan of sci-fi and want to watch something interesting that can keep you entertained, do your homework on Netflix Guides so you can avoid landing a movie that sounds good, but ends up wasting your time. Seeing as Netflix has a plethora of titles to choose from, expert help is always recommended as you can get easily lost in mediocre movies.
Speaking of mediocre titles, “The Cloverfield Paradox”, helmed by director Julius Onah, is not a standout regardless of the movie genre you place it in. It’s not particularly scary or deep but it’s also not suspenseful, or the least bit interesting. The script also seems very uninspired, with characters that run, scream or talk simply because they have to. All of the actors, on the other hand, do their job very well.
A Sci-Fi Film That’s Neither Scary nor Interesting (Spoilers)
Warning, spoilers ahead!!
The story of this film begins on the background of an energy crisis on Earth. After realizing that we no longer have necessary things like sun and wind, it’s decided that a particle accelerator in space, called “The Shepard,” is the only thing that can save us and our planet. So, the international crew on the Cloverfield Space Station, who have been there for the past two years, are burdened with this mission.
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The members of the crew on the Cloverfield Space Station are Schmidt (Daniel Bruhl), Hamilton (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), Mundy (Chris O’Dowd), Kiel (David Oyelowo), Tam (Ziyi Zhang), Volkov (Askel Hennie), and Monk (John Ortiz).
The problems they face make them realize that fixing “The Shepard” might not be such an easy task after all. For example, during one of their attempts, the Earth practically disappears. Moreover, an unknown crew member called Jensen (Elizabeth Debicki) begins showing up inside the spaceship’s walls.
While the crew is trying to come up with a way to fix the mess they have done, back on Earth, monsters are invading. However, the biggest problem that Onah’s film has is that it doesn’t feel realistic in any way. Yes, there’s a space-time rupture; yes, there are monsters out there, but things don’t have to feel so rehearsed.
These scientists do nothing else than complain about how things are going bad and hoping that they won’t escalate. Ten minutes later, and the thing that they fear most happens, as expected. Another problem is that you don’t feel any attachment to the characters and at one point, you’re simply waiting for them to die a horrible death just because it needs to happen, right?
There are very lazy shortcuts everywhere which derive from the absolute need for something to happen in order to move the plot forward. The saddest part about “The Cloverfield Paradox” is that it has a very good cast which might have deserved a little more material to work with. Hamilton being the exception as it’s the only character that has a somewhat interesting story that involves an internal conflict.
Conclusion
For fans of the original “Cloverfield” film, this will certainly be a disappointment. For those unfamiliar with the “Cloverfield” series, it will be an incredibly forgettable and uninteresting experience.
2.5 stars out of 5
