Bad Robot has given the Cloverfield franchise new life with 10 Cloverfield Lane.

Two months ago, to the shock and surprise of the entire movie side of the Internet, Bad Robot dropped an unexpected teaser trailer in front of showings of the Michael Bay-directed Benghazi movie, 13 Hours. Depicting a woman stuck in some sort of shelter, the trailers biggest secret was revealed at the end - it was a Cloverfield movie, titled 10 Cloverfield Lane.

The long discussed, often dissected Bad Robot “Mystery Box" is in play again - eight years after Cloverfield gave new life to the giant monster film (after some surprise marketing), moviegoers have another installment of the franchise (of sorts) with director Dan Trachtenberg’s debut.

The movie puts us in the shoes of Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Scott Pilgrim). An aspiring fashion designer, we see her leave her fiancÁ© in the movie’s opening sequence. As she is driving away from the life she knew, her car is struck is struck by another, sending her flying off of the road. Michelle awakes injured in a locked room - unaware of her surroundings or situation. The door opens - and on the other side stands Howard (John Goodman, Argo). Gruff and no-nonsense, Howard tells her that a chemical attack has occurred above ground, that he saved her, and now they - along with a third survivor, Emmitt (John Gallagher Jr., The Newsroom) - must stay underground, as it is their only chance of survival.

And that’s about all the plot I am willing to discuss. The film that follows is intense, tension filled, and an absolute joy to take in. Trachtenberg has a hell of a pot-boiler here for his first film, and despite only holding three characters in one central location, is more engaging and in-depth than some of the bigger, globe trotting adventures we see hitting the cineplex these days. Characters motivations grow and change, as do our opinions of them, revelations come to light, and the scale and scope shifts all the way to the movie’s final reel, where - of course - all hell breaks loose.

Perhaps it’s the fact that I have seen this movie so close to finishing the brilliant video game Firewatch, but many moments of 10 Cloverfield Lane feel video game-y. Not to say that the movie is without merit or weight, as many critics would use the term, but instead the film feels like a well crafted adventure tale.

The more we learn about the characters, the more we see them grow, and the more aware of the environment we become, the greater our understanding of the situation is. Add the fact that there are moments of reveal and discovery, 10 Cloverfield Lane will feel right at home for those currently obsessed with the games from Telltale and other point-and-click adventures.

It’s a long way to go around it, but that’s to say that the movie is clearly created by one of the “video game generation", and it results in a suspense thriller that feels both modern and completely throwback in the same moment. Bear McCreary’s bombastic score helps sell the throwback notion, with tunes that could easily have scored some of Hitchcock’s classics.

With only three characters, 10 Cloverfield Lane could feel claustrophobic, but instead, the script (by Josh Campbell, Matthew Stucken and Damien Chazelle) allows you to learn much about each character by their actions and dialogue. No one fits a perfect mold. You’ll always be asking questions - who is right, who is wrong, and what is the real truth.

Michelle is a woman running away from her past, but is also incredibly independent and resourceful. Howard is equally fatherly and inviting, while incredibly haunting and threatening. Winstead and Goodman both get to shine in very different lights - Winstead feels like a Sigourney Weaver-esq action heroine (and I’d love to see her grow into that role), and Goodman delivers a greatest hits of his filmography, showing the warmth we loved from him in Roseanne, yet a cutting intensity. Gallagher’s Emmitt is a solid glue to the film, with an open heart and believability. He gets short thrift to his story, but provides perfect levity to the tension. Also - there’s a great audio cameo from a JJ Abrams alum. See if you can guess it. (And no Googling!)

While I walked away from the film absolutely delighted with the results, I did have some nits to pick - mostly involving the ending. Without going into spoilers, I feel like the movie could’ve ended a beat or two early. But that’s honestly the worst thing I can say.

10 Cloverfield Lane delivers incredible performances, a fantastic and intense level of tension and excitement, and rewards movie goers on the promise of the Mystery Box. Dan Trachtenberg is now on my list of directors to watch, and the Cloverfield franchise is now born as a series where anything can happen.