Fear Has A New Address

Conventional filmmaking wisdom says that showing is better than telling. "10 Cloverfield Lane" is a smart, thrilling exercise in how to invert that formula and generate unbearable suspense.

2008's "Cloverfield," told through found footage, follows a group of friends fleeing New York during a monster attack. The camera gives us immediate, unprecedented access to their efforts, making the hybrid of disaster movie and documentary feel unflinchingly real. In a compelling twist, this sequel is a quietly paced character study with new protagonists and a different setting. A car accident lands a young woman in the sealed underground bunker of doomsday fanatic Howard (played by John Goodman), who saved her from the wreckage to protect her from what's happening. So what IS happening, exactly? It could be the end of the world, or it could be Howard's extreme paranoia.

Goodman's recent work in the legal series "Damages" and indie films like "Red State" has a menacing edge that makes you forget he played Roseanne's husband on a network sitcom. Here, his riveting performance -- every blink, twitch, sigh, and clench -- keeps us on our toes about Howard's true nature. This interpersonal roulette acts as a microcosm for their collective anxiety about what's happening above them. The most impressive elements of "10 Cloverfield Lane" are the unnerving moments that it creates with so little dialogue. What's communicated with pauses and silences makes the tension almost deafening, especially during long, uncomfortably slow shots that lull you into a false sense of security. Exemplary sound effects and lighting also create a palpable dread, somehow making the bunker feel gradually smaller.

In the final moments of the film, our heroine makes a choice that all but guarantees a third installment. While the first movie had a distinct ending, this one closes with several lingering questions. The merits of this entry make me patient enough to wait for its dots to be connected.