When a group of young friends from New York (Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, and Odette Yustman) enjoy a nice going away party, the night turns around. A creature the size of a skyscraper building comes upon the city, killing and destroying everything in its way. The friends record everything on a handheld video camera, so we are seeing their night go down in flames, along with New York City.
The cast also includes Lizzy Caplan, T.J. Miller, Jessica Lucas and Ben Fedlman.
The movie was primarily filmed in various locations around New York City.
- Some very recognizable landmarks featured in the film include the Brooklyn Bridge and Times Square.
- Several scenes were shot in lower Manhattan.
- The iconic shot of the monster roaring with smoke and debris surrounding it was filmed at the intersection of Willian and Wall Streets.
- The characters also ventured a lot through Midtown Manhattan. Some scenes were filmed around Park Ave and the Grand Central Terminal area.
- The amusement park scene took place in Brooklyn along with the boardwalk and the Wonder Wheel.
Some fun facts about the film include that the producers wanted to make the audience feel like they were there, which is why they decided upon the handheld camera style. At the MTV Movie Awards in 2008, Cloverfield was nominated for Best Fight for the scene between the monster and the military.