Originally posted by: Starbuck1975
My Spoilers:
The movie is essentially Godzilla meets Blair Witch Project.
All of the main characters die save for one.
You get to see the monster in the finale, although the "money shot" is quite forced.
Why the movie doesn't work:
1. The audience cannot relate to any of the characters...a bunch of elite and snobbish NY 30 somethings suddenly decide to help the main character go save his best friend, who he slept with prior to leaving for a job in Tokyo and suddenly realizes he loves her.
2. You are in the middle of a major Godzilla moment...who runs around filming the entire thing? The home movie approach doesn't work.
3. NYC is under attack...of course the smart thing to do is to cross the Brooklyn bridge???
4. The little spider things that the monster drops are a plot device...if a giant monster is stomping around NYC, the easy escape route is to hit the subway tunnels and work your way out of the city...but you can't do that if little spider monsters are chasing you. Kind of a lazy plot device in my opinion.
5. You are the guy holding the camera...a giant monster is about to eat you...of course you film your impending doom because then the audience won't get the money shot!!!
I will say this...the pace of the movie was outstanding...I like that they attempted to focus on the escape and survival aspect of the attack...with the monster playing as a threat that could strike at any moment.
I also like that they didn't attempt to explain the monster...is it an alien...a prehistoric creature that came from the deep...who cares...a giant monster is attacking NYC...all you need to know.