Whether you walk away from Cloverfield praising it or cursing it, there is one point you must concede: there has never been anything like it. It was made as a high-concept piece, and it succeeds in its aim to be something unprecedented.

One could criticize it for a lack of humanity, loss or real theme. It is, for all intensive purposes, a cleverly-framed creature feature - and while it will most certainly shock you, it likely won't rend a tear or leave you thinking about the intricacies of humanity. But frankly, I don't think it was intended to do that.

What it does do - and most successfully, I might add - is put you there. The structure of the narrative - as found footage in a military archive of some sorts (which, thankfully, they devote only seconds of film time to establishing) - is masterfully executed in its naturalism. It looks and feels real. Comic timing is much-needed, and thank god, very well used - mostly by the camera operator's paniced and sarcastic asides off-screen.

The pace is intense, and the entire film is handheld - which can be a bit nauseating, as Breaking the Waves and other films before have proven most readily. And you won't recognize a single face or name, which was a great choice - as it lends itself to suspending your belief that these really are real people, and this really is happening. It also frees up budget for incredible displays of technology when it is needed, and in one of the most unique monster designs of the decade.

The strange thing is - and I can't put my finger on why - the film didn't *awe* me the way I expected it to. I had very high expectations, but find that I didn't leave the theater thinking it was as awesome as I'd hoped it was. But when I tried to find a flaw or reason for that, I couldn't. It's well done in most regards, and is an incredible high-concept film. I guess I just wish I'd have *felt* more - perhaps because many scenes drew up feelings of being in NYC post-9/11.

Regardless of all this, you should see this one. If you're prone to nightmares or easy anxiety, probably not a good idea. And even if you're not prone to such things, don't go in with sushi and beer in your belly - or you'll end up tossing it on the guy in front of you...