10 CLOVERFIELD LANE (2016) Movie Review

Galatians 5:22-23 says, "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" (NLT)

10 Cloverfield Lane is a mind boggling thriller where three people share an underground bunker completely detached from the outside world. What lurks outside is a complete mystery, especially for Michelle who was brought into the bunker against her will.

Has the world ended, or is she the hostage of two dangerous conspiracy theorists?

That is what Michelle struggles to answer. All she knows is what she sees before her, two strangers, Howard and Emmett, who tell her the world has ended. How can she trust a word they say with little evidence and a very unstable man to give the message. So, she not only questions the message, she suspects Howard of unspeakable things.

Credibility absolutely relies on a number of things:

Emotional Stability : Howard is clearly unstable. He has consistent violent outbursts. He screams, he swears, and he pounds his fists. He makes threats, and eventually does the unthinkable. Michelle and Emmett live in fear of him, which is no way to live. Thus, he becomes an unreliable messenger.

Resignation : Howard's most concerning quality is his inability to relinquish control. He dictates every moment of their time in his bunker. He controls what they eat to their number of bathroom breaks. Life in the bunker becomes an obligation, not a privilege. Thus he becomes an unreliable messenger.

Transparency : Michelle knows from the moment of their meeting that Howard's story of how she comes into the bunker. She discovers many hidden truths about his history. Questionable truths. Disturbing truths. Frightening truths. Truths that make her doubt every word he says. Keeping truths from her makes him an unreliable messenger.

Love : Howard's motives appear plentiful. However, love is nowhere among them. He is controlling, selfish, and violent. There is also an unclear hint of lust. None of these traits are side effects of love.

Whether or not danger lurks outside the walls of the bunker, whether or not the world ends, whether or not the air is toxic, the only danger clear to Michelle is Howard. All she knows, thinks, and works toward is GET AWAY FROM HOWARD. His message may be valid, but his delivery destroys the message.

The Christian message of salvation was given to us with love, kindness, transparency, and without judgment. As it was given by Christ, it must be delivered this way. Lovingly, openly, selflessly, and kindly. Otherwise, receivers of the message will desperately run from it… at all cost, and into danger.

That is not a risk we can afford to make. The message should live and breath in every part of our lives. It lives in what we say. It lives in our treatment towards others. It lives in everything we do. It lives in the functionality of our relationships.

We live the message more than we speak it. We must live love, honesty, acceptance, and generosity. It is the most effective way to give messages to others. Anything less is hypocrisy. Anything less is counter productive. Anything less will drive away subjects of the message, just as Howard drives Michelle into unknown danger.