The Cloverfield Paradox (2018)
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An international crew of astronauts on a space station must navigate the consequences of a reality-bending experiment when Earth seemingly vanishes.
The story
In 2028, Earth faces a global energy crisis, leading international agencies to test the Shepard particle accelerator aboard the Cloverfield space station. The mission aims to provide the planet with infinite energy. However, the crew faces a dire situation when the accelerator overloads, causing a power surge that makes Earth vanish from their sight and causes the station's navigation systems to fail. The crew must then navigate the mysterious consequences of the 'Cloverfield Paradox' while attempting to find a way back to Earth.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 2028, a crew of international astronauts on the Cloverfield space station activates the Shepard particle accelerator to solve Earth's energy crisis. The device malfunctions, triggering the 'Cloverfield Paradox,' which causes Earth to vanish and transports the station to a parallel universe. The crew discovers a woman named Mina Jensen, who claims to be from an alternate timeline. As they struggle with the physical and psychological effects of the paradox—including a malfunctioning teammate and a mysterious, sentient arm—they realize they are no longer in their own reality. On Earth, a man named Michael witnesses a giant monster ravaging the city. The crew eventually discovers that their version of Earth was destroyed days prior. After a series of sacrifices and a final confrontation with the intruder Jensen, the crew manages to bridge the gap between universes. They successfully return to their original timeline, while on Earth, a monster emerges from the clouds as they reappear in the atmosphere.
- First release year
- 2018
- Runtime (minutes)
- 102
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Julius Onah
- Writers
- Oren Uziel · screenplay; Oren Uziel · story; Doug Jung · story
- Cast and characters
- Gugu Mbatha-Raw · Ava Hamilton; Elizabeth Debicki · Mina Jensen; Aksel Hennie · Volkov; Daniel Brühl · Ernst Schmidt; Chris O'Dowd · Mundy; John Ortiz · Monk Acosta; David Oyelowo · Kiel; Zhang Ziyi · Tam
- Genres
- science fiction; horror
- Themes
- multiverse; survival; parallel universes
- Tone and mood
- tense; mysterious
- Setting
- A space station in orbit and Earth in 2028.
- Premise and plot tags
- space exploration; scientific anomaly; multiverse_travel
- Source material / true-story basis
- God Particle
- Franchise connections
- Cloverfield
- Reception
- The film received generally negative reviews, with many considering it the weakest of the Cloverfield films, though its unique marketing was praised.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 37 · scale: 100 · review count: 27
- Production trivia
- The production team included a 'Slusho!' mascot as an Easter egg.; The film's release was delayed several times before its premiere on Netflix.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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