Genre movies that steadfastly stay in their lane and never drift and try to be more than they are… well, they tend to land on the enjoyable side of the critique spectrum for this writer. Anna and The Apocalypse come to mind. The 2018 horror-music-Christmas-movie was an utter delight in a horrific, zombie infestation type of way. The same can be said when describing Shadow in the Cloud.
The World War II set storyline features Chloë Grace Moretz as Maude Garrett. The mysterious woman is carrying a “top secret” package as she boards a massive cargo plane. Until they can sort out who she is and why she is on this particular flight out of Auckland, New Zealand, she is relieved of her package and placed in a belly of the plane gunnery sphere where director and co-writer (with Max Landis, Chronicle) Roseanne Liang spends much of the first and part of the second act shooting her star varying between close-ups and shots that spotlight her cramp accommodations, while showcasing her resourcefulness.
Like any thriller or horror flick worth its salt, Shadow in the Cloud flirts with the idea that Garrett is seeing something outside and it is not Japanese “Zeros.” They’ll be plenty of those, but this is something much more horrifying and perilous. Liang teases these sightings in such a way that the viewer is absolutely positive that our surprise guest on this flight is not losing her mind and in fact may be the key to everyone’s survival.
There is a myriad of questions that arise. It must be saluted how the storyteller has orchestrated the introductory portion of her film, while simultaneously diving into the meat of the horror and the jolting environment that exists 40,000 feet in the air.
The sacrifice that Garrett is willing to make is a stunning stroke in heroism, told in the tightest of quarters. It also causes a multitude of piercing inquiries ricocheting through your head: What is in that package? Why was it so important for Garrett to get on that plane at that moment? All are answered in good time, and in such a way that propels the story forward, causes a few surprises and above all else, is supremely entertaining.
Moretz is perfection. She demands your attention from the get-go with her mamma bear hold on that package in the face of these misogynistic men she is sharing airspace with is inspiring. The sole actress in Shadow in the Cloud commands a curious form of intrigue by the viewer, given all the Second World War stories we’ve been told since that fascism fighting battle. The fight was terrifying with death lurking around every corner. As such, Moretz covets a unique form of emotive connection with the audience.
The former child/teen actor (Se7en, 500 Days of Summer, The Equalizer, and of course the flick that put her on the map, Kick-Ass) has been working for almost two decades now. As an adult, she has chosen some interesting projects—from Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising to Inside Out and Greta). They all share one thing in common. Moretz possesses an uncanny flexibility to innately capture our collective attention while her characters run the gamut of the human emotional wheelhouse.
What she achieves in Shadow in the Cloud must be seen as an enormous achievement. Simply using her voice—after all, the mother of all innovation is invention—the rawness of the rattling that occurs within Maude sinks into the hearts of those observing this horrorshow. Anyone who has ever been on a plane is aware that saying goodbye to this glorious thing called life at that altitude is unmistakably horrifying.
The script by Landis and Liang hits the right notes throughout. There is a high camp potential with a story like this, but Liang’s film never flies into that arena. Everything that transpires is grounded in a reality that unquestionably exists in this world. That is always the key to a joyously terrifying experience with the cinematic arts. What you are watching is a fantasy, every soul keenly is firmly aware of that. But the fun, and why the milieu of horror and thriller are among the most popular, is the experience of having heartrates palpably pulsate as we safely witness someone else going through the most extraordinary of circumstances.
What happens in Shadow in the Cloud is just that. Consider this your reminder to breathe. Gasping for air is another facet of the horror/thriller experience that is why it is so celebrated. Romances are fun, but the “will they or won’t they” question never compares with the “will they or won’t they survive?!” inquest.
If one finds oneself reminded of the 2018 Overlord with Shadow, don’t be surprised. Done correctly, smartly, and vividly, adding supernatural aspects to World War II in the twenty-first century is a brilliant stroke of genius. Overall, this is a tale that’s been told and needs to continue to be told as long as there are audiences to experience them. But adding “the crazier the better” elements to something that already possessed the highest price possible for a civilization landscape throughout is not only welcomed, but it should also be celebrated.
Obviously, this is a fictional tale. But it is beautiful how, as the credits roll, women like Garrett from World War II are spotlighted in old movies. Thus, it establishes that these trailblazers embodied here with Garrett, do exist and made a difference in the fight for freedom across the globe.
Grade: B+