We all know what to expect when it comes to horror movies. A remote location where an un-killable murderer stalks a familar bunch of teenage character cliches (the virgin, the jock, the stoner, the whore, the smart one), who make really, really dumb decisions. The Cabin In The Woods, the newest horror comedy written by Joss Whedon with director Drew Goddard, has all these elements. But this isn't your typical horror movie. The first clue is in the opening scene that shows two lab technicians talking in a gigantic office building. No set up of the killer, or introduction to the pretty teens we'll later see get dismembered, just two middle aged men talking about baby proofing. And later, when a bird flies into a giant force field built around the titular cabin (the money shot from the trailer), you're pretty much ready to accept that this is something very different.
The story is horror 101: a group of five young friends go to a cabin in the middle of nowhere for a weekend of partying. Then strange and very fatal things start happening, with a mysterious group taking a hand in events. Thats all I can say, because this is a movie that demands you go in fresh to get the most enjoyment out of the story. It brings all the horror conventions, and some references to classics of the genre, to the table and completely turns them on their head. Reasons for those classic horror decisions, like investigating that strange sound upstairs instead of getting the hell out of dodge, are explained in really smart ways, and the usual array of horror movie characters are given some depth and personality beyond fulfilling their cliche requirements. The cast play their parts well, especially Chris Hemsworth as the jock and Franz Kranz, who is the voice of reason and logic when the really dumb decisions are made. But the stand outs have to be the double act of Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford. They steal the show whenever they are on screen, providing pretty much all of the movie's big laughs, and advancing the mystery behind the cabin at a steady pace.
This is a very smartly written piece of cinema, with some near faultless direction from Goddard. While the movie is all about subverting horror cliches, he adheres to some techniques from the genre very well, building tension nicely, and steadily escalates the movie towards it's truly bat-s**t insane final act. I honestly say that you will not believe your eyes at what transpires in those final 30 minutes or so.
I found this to be an outstanding film. Smart, original, and equal parts funny and scary. It might not be to everyones tastes, but for fans of the horror genre, or those looking for something different, this cabin is definitely worth a visit.
The story is horror 101: a group of five young friends go to a cabin in the middle of nowhere for a weekend of partying. Then strange and very fatal things start happening, with a mysterious group taking a hand in events. Thats all I can say, because this is a movie that demands you go in fresh to get the most enjoyment out of the story. It brings all the horror conventions, and some references to classics of the genre, to the table and completely turns them on their head. Reasons for those classic horror decisions, like investigating that strange sound upstairs instead of getting the hell out of dodge, are explained in really smart ways, and the usual array of horror movie characters are given some depth and personality beyond fulfilling their cliche requirements. The cast play their parts well, especially Chris Hemsworth as the jock and Franz Kranz, who is the voice of reason and logic when the really dumb decisions are made. But the stand outs have to be the double act of Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford. They steal the show whenever they are on screen, providing pretty much all of the movie's big laughs, and advancing the mystery behind the cabin at a steady pace.
This is a very smartly written piece of cinema, with some near faultless direction from Goddard. While the movie is all about subverting horror cliches, he adheres to some techniques from the genre very well, building tension nicely, and steadily escalates the movie towards it's truly bat-s**t insane final act. I honestly say that you will not believe your eyes at what transpires in those final 30 minutes or so.
I found this to be an outstanding film. Smart, original, and equal parts funny and scary. It might not be to everyones tastes, but for fans of the horror genre, or those looking for something different, this cabin is definitely worth a visit.
