'Cloverfield' DVD Review

Rob and his friends are celebrating his last night in New York City before he leaves the Big Apple for a job in Japan. As they party the night away, all the drama of friendships/relationships is caught on video by Hud, Rob's friend who was assigned camera duty for the night.

Unfortunately, Rob's party breaks up early when what the partygoers believe is an earthquake shakes up New York. However, the severed head of the Statue of Liberty landing at their feet in the street quickly changes their minds about what's happening to their city. It's not an earthquake or any other natural disaster that's struck New York City. No, it's a gigantic monster bent on destroying everything in its path as he - or she - rampages out of control, taking down whatever gets in its way.

The Bonus Features

The commentary track by director Matt Reeves is a little dry, but the rest of the bonus features are terrific. In addition to four deleted scenes with optional commentary (none of which would have added anything to the film), the Cloverfield DVD contains an impressive assortment of behind-the-scenes featurettes. The 'Making of Cloverfield' is a 30 minute look at the film in production, focusing on the handheld camera technique, the amount of improv done by the actors, the secrecy involved during filming, and the greenscreen work.

'Cloverfield Visual Effects' breaks down different scenes including the subway parasite segment, the rooftop sequence, Grand Central Station, and the film's finale. Producer Abrams wanted the film to be of an epic scale, and this featurette shows how the filmmakers accomplished that goal. For lighter fare, check out the 'Outtakes'. The DVD also includes two alternate endings, which truth be told, are almost exactly the same as the one in the film.