So I'm going to review another film that's been out for a while: Liongate’s "The
Cabin in the Woods." But unlike the last movie I reviewed, "The
Hunger Games" (also released by Lionsgate), the Joss Whedon produced horror
film "Cabin in the Woods" hasn't shattered any sales records,
which is unfortunate because it is just as amazing in its own way.
I had extremely high expectations for "The Cabin in the Woods"
going in, mainly because I am a huge fan of Whedon’s past television shows,
“Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Angel,” and “Dollhouse.” Also, Whedon co-wrote “Cabin”
with Drew Goddard, who wrote for “Buffy” and “Angel.” On top of that, I spent
years anticipating the film’s release since first hearing about it in late
2009. (It was supposed to be released in February 2010, but was delayed because
of financial problems at MGM, the film’s original distributor.) I can easily
say “The Cabin in the Woods” surpassed my expectations and left me in complete
awe. I’ll even go as far as calling it a must see movie for
horror fans, especially those that appreciate what was done with the genre in
the 80s and 90s. This includes cliché situations and stereotypical characters like
the dumb blonde who often falls while running from the killer, the macho jock
and the innocent, chaste “final girl” character who is usually the lone
survivor. In true Whedon style, the film manages to both poke fun at and subvert
these stereotypes at the same time.It's probably best to go into the film with as little information about the premise as possible, other than that it's about five college kids who go for a weekend getaway to the secluded locale referenced in the title. That plot may sound reminiscent of slasher film classics, like the much beloved (at least by me) "Friday the 13th" series, in which a mindless killer picks off partying teens one by one. But there is much more to "The Cabin in the Woods." Unfortunately, incessant commercials spoiled the main aspect of the movie that sets it apart from those fondly remembered films from decades past. So I can at least talk about that much since I won't be spoiling anything that the television ads haven't already. However, if you want to go into this movie completely blind, you should probably stop reading here. So the five friends--Dana, Jules, Curt, Marty, and Holden--are being monitored by technicians from some apparent scientific corporation throughout their entire trip. Strategically placed surveillance cameras are in the cabin and covert military looking guys spy on them even before they leave for their ill-fated adventure. The fact that the college students are being watched and somewhat toyed with by the technicians is kind of similar to "The Hunger Games" and some of the ideas that movie brings up, except in "Cabin in the Woods" the kids don't know they're being watched.
The movie does have other surprises that aren't ruined by commercials, including why the corporation is performing their horror games. The movie hints at the corporation's endgame a few times earlier on and, while not completely original, it gives a very creative concept the both pokes fun at and explains certain horror film character stereotypes. "The Cabin in the Woods" also has a climactic scene that shouldn't be missed. At this point it's probably too late to catch the film in the theaters, but it should definitely be seen on DVD/Blu-ray. I can't speak for all horror fans but I think most would agree "The Cabin in the Woods" is one hell of a movie!
