Quartile rating: 5.5/10 · 1 rating
Orbiting above a planet on the brink of war, scientists test a device to solve an energy crisis and end up face-to-face with a dark alternate reality.
The Cloverfield Paradox squanders an intriguing premise with a messy, incoherent script that borrows liberally from Event Horizon and other sci-fi horror entries without adding much of its own. The parallel universe conceit creates more plot holes than tension, and the forced Cloverfield tie-in feels tacked on. The cast (Gugu Mbatha-Raw, David Oyelowo) performs admirably with thin material, elevating scenes that don't deserve it. Cinematography is competent but unremarkable for a space-set thriller. Novelty is low — the film recycles familiar genre beats without a distinctive voice. The ending, attempting a shock reveal connecting to the broader Cloverfield universe, lands as cheap rather than satisfying.