*SPOILER ALERT* This article contains spoilers of the movie Shadow in the Cloud.

The action-horror film Shadow in the Cloud was released by Vertical Entertainment, on January 1, 2021, starring Chloe Grace Moretz, Taylor John Smith, and Nick Robinson. The movie is available to watch on video on demand and in theaters. The film centers around a female flight officer who boards a World War II B-17 bomber that is expected to be attacked by the Japanese. Watching the movie was entertaining as it provided many unexpected outcomes and action-packed moments. 

The movie takes place in August 1943, where female flight officer Maude Garrett (Chloe Grace Moretz) is assigned to travel to Somoa from New Zealand with top-secret documents. She is greeted inappropriately by the bomber’s crew, who assigns her to the turret. She is unable to take her document bag with her, which contains a mysterious package inside. Having no other choice, Maude leaves her bag with the only crew member who is friendly to her, Walter Quaid (Taylor John Smith). 

While in the turret, Maude sees some sort of creature, which turns out to be a Gremlin, hanging on the right-wing of the plane. She tries to tell the other men about what she saw, but they immediately dismiss her. I thought this scene was frustrating because Maude was doing her job by reporting her sightings, and instead the crew called her delusional. However, the youngest crew member, Stu Beckell (Nick Robinson), claims that he also saw the creature. 

The film starts on the slower side with Maude being harassed by the bomber’s crew but starts to pick up when she begins standing up for herself. I enjoyed seeing a strong female character defend herself against those who didn’t believe in her. However, I didn’t necessarily like the fact that the film took place over only a couple of hours, so there wasn’t room for much character development.

Maude is eventually allowed to exit the turret but the hatch breaks off, trapping her inside. This moment brought a great deal of intensity to the film because there was uncertainty as to whether she would make it out safely or not. To make things more complicated, the weather becomes stormy, making it difficult for the crew to guide the plane. It turns out that the gremlins are the ones flying the Japanese plane. The original gremlin returns who attempts to break the glass off the turret and attack Maude. She fights the Gremlin off but ends up injured. 

The Japanese plane reappears and attacks once again, but taking control of the turret, Maude manages to shoot the plane down and gain the respect of her crew members. 

When Maude shoots down the Japanese plane, the movie portrayed that nobody deserves to be underestimated or judged at a first glance. This was my favorite scene in the movie because she was able to physically prove herself to the bomber’s crew.

However, the men begin to question her as they discover that a Maude Garrett doesn’t exist. It is then revealed that Maude is actually married and she boarded the plane using her maiden name, which causes the crew to question her loyalty. She is in fact assigned to this particular plane but refuses to tell the crew about her mission, claiming it is confidential. Maude continues to keep the item in her document bag a secret. 

The bomber’s crew eventually searches her bag. Maude’s mysterious package definitely proves to be a surprise, providing the film with a major turn of events and unexpected outcomes.

Overall, I definitely recommend this movie. Shadow in the Cloud showcases a strong female lead by Moretz and includes suspenseful moments during the film. The secret package in Maude’s bag definitely kept me engaged throughout the entire movie. For anyone who enjoys action-horror films such as The Purge, this movie is definitely a must-watch.

7/10