Shadow in the Cloud
Starring Chloë Grace Moretz, Taylor John Smith and Beulah Koale
Rated MA15+
Shadow in the Cloud is an enthralling, extremely well-paced war monster movie.
In 1943, flight officer Maude Garrett (Chloë Grace Moretz) is assigned to deliver a vital package onboard an American bomber plane, but a deadly creature begins sabotaging the plane and hunting the crew.
Shadow in the Cloud features phenomenal sustained suspense in an ever-evolving scenario, and director Roseanne Liang shows a flair for small-scale yet vivid storytelling.
A claustrophobic sequence set inside the plane’s gun capsule develops the characters, the creature and Garrett’s mission entirely through dialogue and tight bursts of action.
Liang also superbly manages several interweaving conflicts: the prowling creature, deteriorating plane, distrust and sexism from the crew, and Garrett’s mysterious personal connection to the mission all feed into each other and spur Garrett onward.
Like Alien Covenant in 2017, Shadow in the Cloud builds steadily from confined terror to bombastic action with dashes of dark comedy. This shift in tone feels natural rather than disorienting.
Some viewers may be put off by Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper’s anachronistic electronic score, but I found it cool and eerie, save for one grating music choice early in the third act.
Shadow in the Cloud is a chilling thrill-ride with a great blend of horror, action and character development.
– Seth Lukas Hynes
