Matt Reeves’ smart monster thriller has been favourably compared to The Blair Witch Project, with which it shares the concept of using ‘found’ camcorder footage to reveal its horrors. The film opens at a party for Manhattan yuppie Rob Hawkins (Michael Stahl-David) where the revelries are interrupted by a loud explosion. As he and his friends Hud, Jason, Marlena and Lily (TJ Miller, Mike Vogel, Lizzy Caplan and Jessica Lucas) emerge onto the street, the head of the Statue of Liberty cartwheels past them. Something very, very big is trashing the city. As Rob’s girlfriend Beth (Odette Yustman) lives in one of the high-rise buildings, the group set out on a rescue bid, with Hud recording everything as they make their way through what has become a nightmarish vision of New York. Will the group succeed in their mission? The footage tells their stories in shocking, handheld detail in this superbly paced movie.

30th July 2011, 10pm, Channel 4