10 Cloverfield Lane Soundtrack Review: This is a review of the film score 10 Cloverfield Lane by Bear McCreary.

Buy the score here (if available)

At a glance:

Geek Score: 95.7
Total Minutes Of Excellence: 51.6
Album Excellence: 80.6%

How are the scores calculated and what does it mean?

10 Cloverfield Lane is a 2016 American Horror film directed by Dan Trachtenberg and starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman and John Gallagher, Jr. It is sort of the sequel to the 2008 hit Cloverfield, but it’s not really. A young woman wakes up after a terrible accident to find that she’s locked in a cellar with a doomsday prepper, who insists that he saved her life and that the world outside is uninhabitable following an apocalyptic catastrophe. Uncertain what to believe, the woman soon determines that she must escape at any cost. The score is composed by Bear McCreary.

This Cloverfield business confuses me. Is it a sequel or not? It’s brilliant marketing though because now I have to see it to find out for myself. Even more pleasing is that this time they have a full score. Cloverfield didn’t have a score, but it did have a monstrous piece of music called ‘Roar’ by Michael Giacchino. I wonder if this score is going the monster route or if there’s something else in store. The score starts with ‘Michelle’ and within the first 10 seconds I have freaking goosebumps and yes I’m terrified. What is this evil? That was one of the creepiest string sequences I’ve heard. It felt so alone and so damn scary. Just because the evil string thing goes away doesn’t mean we’re safe though. The music is so brilliant if we’re thinking pure supernatural horror. It’s strange because this is the music McCreary’s two earlier horror film score releases could have needed. I love the mood of this opening cue (yes I’m still with it). It sounds so evil, but so balanced and sophisticated. It’s has the spirit of Herrmann, the quieter but emotionally scarring side.

And just as you thought you were safe comes ‘The Concrete Cell’ with a bad ass bass synth so deep and evil it would scare the devil away. The “theme” is back, the evil strings as well. It’s a typical horror theme though, nothing you haven’t heard before, but it’s the way it’s all put together that’s so brilliant. Ok the second part of ‘The Concrete Cell’ isn’t nearly as interesting. It’s more of a modern action piece, nothing too special. That first half though plus if you make it to the end there’s a horror surprise for you. Now if you enjoyed the action bits from ‘The Concrete Cell’, but wanted the sound to be bigger, stronger, then you’re in luck. ‘At The Door’ is massive and a great addition to this score. Same with ‘The Burn’. Now this is exciting and could go well both with monsters and general horror. The score is constantly going between borderline scary and action and I’m enjoying the journey and can’t wait to hear it in context.

HIGHLIGHTS:
1. Michelle
2. The Concrete Cell
4. A Bright Red Flash
5. At The Door
6. Two Stories
8. Hazmat Suit
10. The Burn
11. Up Above
12. Valencia
13. The New Michelle
14. 10 Cloverfield Lane