The Horror Show
The Cloverfield Paradox
by Julius Onah
It’s not a mystery that I’m a fan of the Cloverfield franchise. On Super Bowl Sunday this year when they ran the trailer for the latest installment, The Cloverfield Paradox, I was, needless to say, ridiculously stoked for it. This film mixed a few things that I love: space horror, parallel universes, and of course, Cloverfield monsters. So, without further ado, let’s dive in to the meat and potatoes. (Beware: some spoilers lie ahead!)
Originally titled “The God Particle,” the plot of Paradox brings us several years in the future where humanity is on the brink of a world war and experiencing a desperate energy crisis. A team of top scientists from around the globe are sent into space to test a particle accelerator that, if successful, might save mankind from self-destructing. Once in space, the team begin their testing. After a few failed attempts, the particle accelerator finally works, but to the team’s dismay, a chain of inexplicable events follows, putting all their lives at risk. Somehow, they have traveled to a parallel universe, one where war has already begun and each team member lives a drastically different life. Unbeknownst to them, the particle accelerator has also created a backwards causality and opened up a portal across time in which dangerous alien creatures come on in like somebody invited them to dinner and begin invading Earth.
At first it seems as though the original Earth in this film is the only world ravaged by the Cloverfield monsters. Through cutscenes back on Earth we experience the destruction of cities and humans running for their lives or taking shelter in underground bunkers. (Sound familiar?) The first film took place in 2009, the second in 2016, and this one in 2028. If you initially found yourself confused on how all that could be possible or if you were of the mindset that none of the films had anything to do with one another, Paradox clears things up and giftwraps the explanation, it even puts a little bow on top for you.
What I loved about this film was that it not only connected all the previous ones by bringing multiple dimensions to the table, but it also had its own heartbeat as 10 Cloverfield Lane before it. Our leading lady, Hamilton (GuGu Mbatha-Raw), faces an unsettling dilemma: try and find a way back to her own universe and save the world, or give in to her impulses and stay in this other universe, one where her children are not dead as a consequence of her own selfish actions.
The cast of The Cloverfield Paradox was awesome and each actor brought a necessary flair to their role to round things out both in space and on Earth. With the alternate universes playing into the storyline, good guys can become bad guys and bizarre events can occur with no explanation needed, only adding to the entertainment factor as opposed to taking away from it. I’m looking at you, creepy hand! There are many elements of drama, comedy, and terror that intertwine but never get messy, and there are plenty of Easter Eggs for fans to pick up on and connect the dots.
I look forward to the next installment in the franchise due out later this year titled “Overlord.” The fourth film is supposed to take place during WW2 and bring the Cloverfield monsters into yet another timeline, which I find super exciting. I love when movies make me ask questions (which is probably why I loved the other film I’m reviewing this round so much), so with this current film taking us into the future and the next film bringing us to the past, I can’t wait to find out more about these multiple dimensions and experience all the new questions, theories, and monsters that come with it.
I really don’t know why the film is getting so much hate, I found it to be wildly entertaining. Whether you’re a fan of the Cloverfield franchise or not, I definitely recommend giving The Cloverfield Paradox a watch. I know I’m going to watch it multiple times myself, just as I’ve done with the previous installments. If you’re anything like me and you like your horror with a side of sci-fi, then you’ll enjoy this film for sure.
Stevie Kopas, HMS
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