No, the movie really belongs to Hud. We barely see the guy’s face (since he’s always standing directly behind the camera), and he manages to give the film its heart and its humor. In the midst of a sea of rich city kids, he’s the regular Joe, futilely trying to strike up a relationship with Marlena (Lizzy Caplan) and wondering aloud where the heck the monster came from.

Oh yeah – the monster. It’s easy to get sidetracked since the thing is rarely seen, but let’s not forget that this is a movie about a giant monster attacking New York City. Much has been made on the Internet over the past month or so over what the monster actually looks like, but not being a huge monster nut myself, I didn’t really find the “look” of the thing particularly original. (I’m assuming there are many monster nuts out there, so let me assure you that after 75 or so minutes of teasing, you finally get a great-looking money shot.) And there are also neat little mini-monsters – parasites that the main monster sheds which wreak havoc in their own right.

Thankfully, the movie doesn’t go to any elaborate lengths – beyond Hud’s conjecture – to explain the origins of the monster, or even give it a name. (Those points will have to wait for Cloverfield 2). Also thankful is that the shaky-camera effect doesn’t make you throw up; to be honest, I did have to look away during a couple of scenes where everyone’s running, but the movie’s short enough that it doesn’t begin to feel like a chore on your eyes. The movie should be commended for taking a simple, geeky premise – the monster movie – sprucing it up with a few creative touches, and executing it in a professional, entertaining manner. These are guys who know what they’re doing.

Movie Grade: B+

Synopsis:

Something attacks New York City.