Shadow in the Cloud

Shadow in the Cloud
Starring Chloe Grace Moretz, Taylor John Smith, Beulah Koale, Nick Robinson
Directed by Roseanne Liang

There was a classic episode in "The Twilight Zone" called "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" (which was based on a short story written by Richard Matheson).  It starred a then-unknown William Shatner as a man on an airplane who claims he sees a gremlin on the outside of the plane that threatens to bring it down, but no one believes him. It's the most famous of the episodes of the franchise and has been copied and parodied in different shows and films, but no one thought of the concept: "what if this takes place during World War II through the eyes of an objectified woman on a war plane full of men while under attack from Japanese forces?" until now.

Maude Garrett (Chloe Grace Moretz) is a flight officer who's carrying an important package and is placed on a B-17 bomber with an entire crew of men, most of whom objectify her and place her in the turret, leaving her package in the care of the only serviceman who was nice to her, Staff Sergeant Walter Quaid (Taylor John Smith). As Maude listens to the men insulting her and objectifying her sexuality, she suddenly sees a gremlin on the outside of the plane, and attempts to kill it, to no avail. The men become suspicious of who she is and what her package is, but things become more complex when Japanese airships attack, along with the gremlin who begins slowly destroying the plane from the inside.

In the early 1970s, a new moviegoing experience really took off, called the midnight movie. Movies that were shown at midnight that people thought wouldn't be generally accepted by the vast moviegoing audience, including films like "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and "Pink Flamingos" - movies that were so outlandish, too campy, or too experimental. "Shadow in the Cloud" is a throwback to such midnight movies, as the entire concept itself requires a lot of suspension of disbelief as well as a mind-numbing attitude where you shouldn't try to read too deeply into what's happening, for the most part.

The film really focuses on three topics, while never really expanding on any one of them. On one end, this is a World War II dogfight action flick where a lone B-17 bomber comes under attack from four Japanese warplanes. This is easily the most explainable and plausible aspect of the film, as the crew must work together to survive the onslaught coming at them, and there's not much more that needs explaining on that end.

Then there's the creature feature aspect - the one that makes it a "midnight movie" - with the gremlin on the plane. It's odd that no one really seems to bat an eye at the concept of a gremlin in general, whereas in real life it would probably be a much bigger deal (while in the turret, Maude has a confrontation with the creature, but then goes back to talking to the other men like nothing really happened). This is the aspect where you shouldn't think too much about it, because it really doesn't make sense - unless you actually connect the dots with what happens at the beginning of the film, turning this gremlin into something more than just a creature.

The beginning of the film shows an animated video that serves as being an instructive film to educate army personnel, but also highlights the concept of a gremlin - in the case of this film, the gremlin also serves as a scapegoat for incompetent men. The majority of "Shadow in the Cloud" focuses on one spot - the turret - where Maude is placed. The spot is highly confined and claustrophobic, especially knowing that it's basically a small outer part of a plane where if it broke off, the person inside would have no hope of landing safely. The men say if you're in there long enough you'll go insane, which is what they think happens to Maude when she sees the gremlin - a personification of the men's incompetence. The film showcased what it would've been like for a female to serve in the army during World War II, as Maude is treated as a sex object, irrational, and have lesser intelligence than the men around her.

Chloe Grace Moretz dominates the screen, which is a good thing because the film focuses almost entirely on her alone. Being stuck in a malfunctioning turret is terrifying enough, but dealing with men who think they're smarter than her, Japanese airships that the other men say aren't there, and a gremlin tearing apart the wing, you'd expect anyone to go a little mad. Not Maude though, as she barrels through the first airship and combats the gremlin with fierce determination - all to protect the package that she brought along with her, which is another mystery in itself that adds to the excitement and action that the film provides.

Part World War II dogfight, part creature feature, and part feminist empowerment, "Shadow in the Cloud" serves as a fun, action-filled, highly dramatic thrill-ride that shouldn't be taken entirely too seriously, but enjoyed for the simplistic film it is.

The Score: B+