10 Awful Opening Scenes In Otherwise Awesome Horror Movies

Just as it looked like found-footage horror was on its last legs, Matt Reeves' Cloverfield gave the sub-genre a well-deserved shake-up.

Because the film opens in a farewell party in New York, you feel like you're watching a low-stakes drama. But after a colossal creature attacks the city, our party guests are forced to evacuate. Rather than highlighting the beast itself, Cloverfield focuses on the claustrophobic terror the citizens are experiencing, leaving viewers in a permanent state of anxiety.

Now, it's important to spend time in the beginning to flesh out the ensemble, so we give a damn when they're in danger.

However, Cloverfield spends too long with the set-up. During the farewell party, the host, Jason, has his best friend, Hud, record testimonials from the guests on a camcorder. This is actually a clever way to dole out exposition and learn the dynamic between the principal characters, without coming across as forced.

Unfortunately, this goes on for 18 minutes. That's nearly a quarter of the run-time! After you watch insufferable characters yammering into the camera endlessly, you might forget you're watching a monster movie.