10 Cloverfield Lane starring John Goodman and Mary Elizabeth Winstead.
Photo Credit: Michele K. Short / Paramount Pictures

10 Cloverfield Lane may have nothing to do with J.J Abram’s original Cloverfield (2008), but it is one hell of a movie just the same.  It was released in March 2016 with virtually no build-up and no press. Produced by J.J Abrams (Star Trek, Star Wars: The Force Awakens), Directed by the unknown Dan Trachtenberg, and marketed as a “blood relative” to Cloverfield, 10 Cloverfield Lane has received a lot of praise so far and is definitely a good start to 2016.

There are three characters in this movie and the whole thing takes place in an elaborate underground bunker. While this may not sound exciting, the whole atmosphere and the constant state of anxiety will have your stomach in knots for just over an hour and 45 minutes. Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) wakes up after a bad accident and finds herself locked in a bunker with no idea how she got there and why she is seemingly being held against her will. Howard (John Goodman) is the man keeping her there. He is quick to anger and his motives aren’t quite clear; there’s just something “off” about him and you know he can’t be trusted. Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.) is the third person in the bunker and is thankfully a little more light-hearted. As the movie progresses you find out a bit more about why they’re in the bunker, but you never really know until the very end. It’s an intense ride and a unique type of thriller that doesn’t come around very often. Avoid spoilers at all costs.

John Goodman’s performance in 10 Cloverfield Lane is superb and possibly a career best. He is easily the most terrifying part of the movie, which is certainly out of the ordinary for the man best known for The Big Lebowski and Rosanne. Some of his scenes will leave you wide-eyed in shock. The underlying sense of dread remains constant until the last few moments of the movie when all is revealed. People who are squeamish and quick to scare likely won’t enjoy themselves as much as those who prefer a good thriller. Calling 10 Cloverfield Lane a horror movie is a bit of a stretch, but there are certainly some elements of that genre present throughout the film. Thankfully the found-footage style of Cloverfield was abandoned for this movie, but it is filmed in a way that will make you feel cramped, like you’re with them breathing the same stale air in the bunker the whole time.

10 Cloverfield Lane has been in theatres for just under a month and has already racked in over $80M worldwide. Check out local listings to see it on the big screen before it’s too late.

Watch the official trailer here: