2020 has been a weird year for film, with the vast majority of blockbusters pushed into 2021 and movies that would have usually been overlooked dominating PVOD charts. That's certainly not the worst thing in the world to have happened, and we can't help but imagine gems like Love and Monsters and Mosul passing us by here on CBM if the year had been dominated by the likes of Black Widow and Venom: Let There Be Carnage as planned. Now, we're kicking off what looks set to be an insanely busy 2021 with a must-see horror movie we'd definitely advise you not to miss out on come January 1st: Shadow in the Cloud.
Set during World War II, it follows Captain Maude Garrett (Chloë Grace Moretz) as she's forced to join an all-male crew on a B-17 bomber with a top-secret package in her possession. To call them misogynistic would be an understatement, and that instantly gives proceedings an uncomfortable feel. However, the story takes a much darker turn from there with the presence of a, let's say "gremlin," in the plane causing intense paranoia among the crew, a whole hell of a lot of fear, and some major twists. In terms of the plot, you're better off going in knowing as little as possible; there are some big surprises, and there's no denying that this is one of the most unique, unorthadox movies to come along for quite some time. That alone makes Shadow in the Cloud a worthwhile watch, especially as it's rare to see anything in the horror genre do something completely new.
Visually, this is a great looking movie, with a pulpy feel that perfectly combines those classic World War II adventures of old with some killer horror visuals and jump scares. Shadow in the Cloud is an intense ride, and director Roseanne Liang puts herself on the map in a major way with this project. Joined by cinematographer Kit Fraser, this duo delivers a visually exciting experience that's enhanced by Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper's incredible score.
Of course, as great as those elements of this movie are, it all arguably hinges on Chloë Grace Moretz. It feels like it's been a while since we've seen the actress, but between this and the upcoming Tom and Jerry, the Kick-Ass star is back, and delivers one of her best performances to date here. Shadow of the Cloud starts off in a claustrophobic way, and aside from the voices of actors like Nick Robinson, Beulah Koale, Taylor John Smith, Callan Mulvey, Benedict Wall, Joe Witkowski, and Byron Coll (all of whom do a great job with what they're given to work with), Moretz carries the movie alone at this point. As her fear levels raise, so do ours, and when the time comes for Maude to leap into action, the actress effortless nails being an absolute believable badass as well. Showcasing multiple sides of her character, Moretz makes us believe in everything she does, and that's a testament to what a talent she is.
The movie does start getting a little messy as we move into the final act, and it's hard not to wish we'd got to spend more time with Moretz on her own in a Buried-style thriller which didn't necessarily need to head down an action blockbuster route during its second half. The supporting cast are better providing voice performances than actual ones, and by the time we do meet them, it's both hard to care either about their respective fates or tell who is who (as sinister as they might sound over the radio, only one or two of them really stand out). It also goes from being grounded to borderline silly in places, and it's then your attention might start to drift. Those flaws are easy enough to look past, but stop Shadow in the Cloud from being an absolute classic.
Chloë Grace Moretz delivers an unmissable performance in Shadow of the Cloud, a tense and thrilling horror movie with a killer premise, phenomenal visuals, and some big scares.