What if a monster from outer space started smashing up New York? What would the news coverage look like? How would the pathetic swine who live their cosseted little self-centric lives in Manhattan cope with their favorite dance club being smashed up?
Sorry. Got confused for a second. Meant to talk about District 9. Cloverfield, “New and Improved! Now with 100% less pathetic yuppie angst!”
Not to mention it’s an infinitely superior film: chock full of characters you actually care about – either with hopes for their success or with fond wishes for their dismemberment and disemboweling.
What if aliens showed up and needed a place to crash for a while has been done before. Alien Nation and V immediately come to mind. Where would they live? How would we interact? The beauty of modern cinematic technology allows us for the first time to ask the same questions about critters who look decidedly unlike us and don’t speak our lingo.
The result is somewhat unsatisfying. There’s no happy ending. There’s not really an ending at all. Just a promise and a possibility. All wrapped up in the best film of the year.