The Cloverfield Paradox: 20 WTF Moments

18. The Painfully Bad Expository Dialogue

One of the most consistent complains about the movie is the embarrassing abundance of expository dialogue, where characters basically vomit every plot beat in the viewer's face with no subtlety or finesse whatsoever.

It denies audiences the opportunity to piece things together for themselves, instead assuming that they won't be able to. From the opening discussions about the global energy crisis to geo-political relations between Germany and Russia and some character beats later on, there's way too much talking and nowhere near enough showing.

The abundance of exposition is so blatant as to be actively distracting. Even many truly terrible films don't stumble at this hurdle, but here it makes the script feel painfully amateur at times.