The 'monster movie' you need to see this week

A scene from the movie 10 Cloverfield Lane, starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead and John Goodman.

A new film from director and producer J.J. Abrams has sent movie critics into a frenzy.

10 Cloverfield Lane, produced by Abrams and directed by Dan Trachtenberg, was released in cinemas this week and has already received an incredibly impressive 91 per cent approval rating from reviewers on RottenTomatoes.com, with 98 per cent of people saying they want to see the film.

Starring John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and John Gallagher, 10 Cloverfield Lane is a spin-off sequel of the 2008 found-footage film, Cloverfield.

Movie critics have praised the film as "nerve-jangling" and "terrific".

Newsday said: "10 Cloverfield Lane is as economical as a stage play but packs in plenty of visceral violence and visual surprises. Whether you've seen the first film or not, this one is a thoroughly entertaining treat." While Washington Post praised the film's acting, writing: "Goodman's performance, while unhinged, never veers into caricature. "Similarly, Winstead avoids the cliche of the tank-top-wearing bimbo/victim, bringing an earthy self-reliance to her role."

The director was commended by AP, which wrote, "Trachtenberg scares the wits out of us a few times, and then he launches into a climax that will have many talking." Consequence of Sound told fans to "approach 10 Cloverfield Lane on its own terms, let Dan Trachtenberg and his top-notch cast yank you into their world, and try not to sweat through your clothes."

Guardian reviewer, Jordan Hoffan, wrote that "all three actors are tremendous, and director Dan Trachtenberg, making his feature debut, must be commended for keeping things tightly focused."

"A thriller that winds you tighter and tighter before its secrets come tumbling out in a cathartic finale," wrote Empire Magazine, who gave the film four out of five stars. While Daily Telegraph which gave the same star rating, said: "The film zips between claustrophobic tension and nervous laughs with hoverfly agility."

The plot of the film has been kept under wraps by Abrams and US Weekly warned: "For the love of Google, don't scour the web for third-act spoilers. Just know that an old-fashioned scary movie can still make you squirm, laugh and gasp for air."

10 Cloverfield Lane is out in New Zealand cinemas now.

- nzherald.co.nz