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The motto of JJ Abrams latest thriller is basically: don't text and drive. Also, don't break up with your fiance, or else you'll get in a terrible car accident, be abducted by a Lolita-inspired murderer and all your family will die in the alien apocalypse—in one night.
10 Cloverfield Lane falls victim to the thriller cliches: It doesn't come close to passing the Bechdel test, uses numerous unnecessary shots of Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) in her underwear, an omnipresent soundtrack of cheap thriller orchestra and, of course, aliens.
Despite the cliches, for the first hour and twenty minutes, JJ Abrams shows that he's almost capable of a smart psychological thriller. The last ten minutes, however, confirm that he's not.
The majority of the film creates a claustrophobic, paranoid world in a bunker designed to last through the apocalypse and Howard (John Goodman) as the seemingly friendly ringleader. The bunker is surprisingly homey, equipped with games, DVDs and enough food to last for years. For a second, you wonder, is this really so bad? That's a question that Abrams makes sure to answer. PG-13.
Critic's Grade: C+
Willamette Week