The first thing I'll say is that I'm not going to spoil a single thing about this film (other than how good it is), because everyone deserves the chance to see this film as I did - without a clue to the answer of the mystery and simply looking for any shred of evidence to guide my opinion. I actually had very little idea what kind of a film I was in for with '10 Cloverfield Lane'. I had seen 'Cloverfield' years back and mildly enjoyed it (according to the rating I gave it on IMDb) but could remember very little of it. I knew what the plot was about and that it was a "found footage" film but could remember almost zero specifics. I can tell you though that I won't be forgetting specifics about this sequel for a very long time.

I love nothing more than a well created mystery where the audience are left in the same confused state as the character/s and are filling in the pieces of the puzzle as the same pace that they are. This is one of those films. I see it was originally titled 'The Cellar' before it was reworked into a 'Cloverfield' sequel and I can very well imagine it working all on its own as a stand-alone thriller.

John Goodman is the star of the show. He truly can be a brilliant actor when he sets his mind to a character. He plays the role perfectly never giving away any more than he needs to and adds to the mystery surrounding everything perfectly. Mary Elizabeth Winstead also impressed me in the lead role. She's likable and bad ass depending on the scene and plays both equally well.

I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed this film. I think it helps when you go in with no real expectations (as I can imagine a lot of audience members doing for this type of film) and then just out of nowhere you find yourself enjoying the hell out of it. As previously stated I won't give anything away, which leaves my hands tied a touch in discussing one of the key aspects of the film. All that's really left to say in that case is see this film!

Full disclosure: The year is 2007. A trailer hits cinema screens advertising a mysterious film named "Cloverfield." Nobody knows what it's about, except that it's riding on the wave of the found footage genre, and that it seems to depict a giant monster attack on New York. Speculation immediately breaks out all over the internet, but nowhere more fiercely than on the IMDb forums, with many folks being caught up in the genius viral marketing. I myself was one of those people, along with my wife. Yes, we met on IMDb's Cloverfield forum. She moved from the US to Australia a few years after, we got married, and we've lived together happily ever since.

Yes, that is the power of film; it can bring people together in the most unlikely ways possible.

So, it's with some excitement that we were blindsided by the brief and vague advertising campaign for 10 Cloverfield Lane. Does it have any connections to the original Cloverfield? What's JJ Abrams playing at here, exactly? Without giving too much away, it's not a direct sequel, but rather a sequel in tone. I'm assuming Abrams is going for an anthology style series here, with each entry being a different story tied together by their themes and science-fiction setting. It's clearly a marketing thing, but if that means we'll get more films like this, I'm certainly okay with it.

10 Cloverfield Lane eschews its predecessor's found-footage trappings, and immerses us in a classic style bottle thriller. The setting is limited and claustrophobic, and the cast small, but the story and tension will grab you and not let up until the end. The nature of the mystery means your opinion will hang very precariously on whether you like that ending, and I suspect it will be divisive. There's not a great deal of resolution, and if I'm correct in assuming this will be an anthology series from now on, I doubt we'll ever get any. But that's fine, because I don't think the story that would follow the film really needs to be told.

What matters are the performances. John Goodman is the real draw card here. He gives a stunning turn that is delightful, sympathetic and absolutely terrifying in equal doses. He's had so many great roles in the past, but he is unforgettable here. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is also very likable as the resourceful protagonist. Perhaps a little too resourceful at times, but for the most part we're with her happily throughout.

The film looks fantastic despite the cramped environs, with great use of color and shadow and some interesting cinematography. There are some nice designs and special effects toward the end of the film, even if they may be considered a little derivative. The score is tense and effective, and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

The script is great with very little flab, and if you like these kinds of stories which lock characters together in tight, paranoid spaces then you'll find a lot to enjoy here. Just don't go in expecting Cloverfield 2, because this is not it. It's its own beast, and has a brave ending that you'll either love or hate.

If this is going to be an anthology or if this is going to be followed by that rumored third installment that has been recently spoiled by J.J. Abrahms, I can say that nobody doubts about the secretly marketed "10 Cloverfield Lane" is a great movie on its own. And a movie that if it were spoiled by someone here or at any review would be cruel.

Since the start it reveals to be a movie that doesn't hide an ace, but a hundred.

The pace can be a little slow at the first half only to add more and more tension, hooking the audience and introducing them into the movie like they were one of the people inside that bunker.

John Goodman will be a real trend the future days thanking its superb performance. He's so twisty, complex developed character. He and Mary Elisabeth Winstead make the movie shine alongside the story.

The story is so little, then so game-changer, with twists and turns that are smart rather than empty. It's one of that makes you guess all the time.

The ending is more of a bang than a whimper. Even when it succumbs to the action and polemic moves, it will leave you on a grim and high note, pestering for another outing if it's any good like this.

If the "Cloverfield" that started it all was about speaking without breath and CGI scares, this "10 Cloverfield Lane" is about deeper intentions, deeper tension and personal stuff that is scarier than a giant monster. While the connection to that movie is not so remarkable until the finale, this installment is so brilliant on its own, so well marketed (without ruining any twist) and so well ended that will surely please any viewer who were looking for a damn good movie. This is a scary movie like the classic ones. Don't miss it.