By Nicholas Sissons

The Cloverfield Paradox is the third installment of a loosely-related sci-fi franchise. Unlike other film franchises, the Cloverfield franchise is unique in that every installment focuses on the same event from differing points-of-view, utilizing different and experimental techniques. The Cloverfield Paradox, while an enjoyable sci-fi thriller, loses some of the momentum that the previous films set in motion.

The film centers around the crew of a near-future space station testing a particle accelerator in hopes of alleviating an energy crisis on Earth. The particle accelerator “overloads,” conceiving the events of the previous Cloverfield films and more mishappenings aboard the station.

The narrative has trouble focusing itself throughout the film, jumping between unrelated and, at times, extraneous scenes, before getting back to the main plot. Coupled with its clunky dialogue and forced exposition, The Cloverfield Paradox feels like an interesting concept of a juggernaut sci-fi franchise that wasn’t given enough consideration before hastily being thrown together.

Taken all together, The Cloverfield Paradox has all the elements of an excellent science fiction film: it confuses, it instills existentialism and it shows you a dystopia not too far away from your own. With its excellent cast, The Cloverfield Paradox overcomes some of its flaws, producing a good, solid thriller.