THE CABIN IN THE WOODS – Drew Goddard

It has been awhile since I’ve been to the movie theater. Usually this time of year, Spring is considered the box office’s slowest time. Everyone is waiting for that big Summer Kick-off which usually starts first week of May. However, it seems that this time of year, there is at least ONE surprise film that takes us off guard that we don’t see coming. A film that puts a twist on that particular genre. In this case, it’s Horror films. Horror films have been a rollorcoaster ride for many years. With Slasher films of the 80′s, the “Make fun of the Genre” (like Scream) in the 90′s, the “Torture” Horror films of the 00′s, and now it’s time for something new. And right now with the release of Cabin in the woods, we have that “new” face of Horror. It’s called; “the twist”. That’s right, take a scenario that we all know and have heard of before and give it a twist you don’t see coming – that’s Cabin in the woods.

At the beginning of the film, five college students are off to spend the weekend in a cabin and it’s in the woods (we’ve seen this scenario a hundred times). Five friends; Dana (played by Kristen Connolly), Curt (played by Thor’s, Chris Hemsworth), Jules (played by Anna Hutchinson), Marty (played by Fran Kranz), and Holden (played by Jesse Williams). These are stereotype college kids: the brain, the beauty, the athlete, the druggie, and the innocent girl. The film follows the students in the camper to the mountains and we “feel” we “know” what’s gonna happen. We “expect” some crazy psycho in a mask with an ax who will kill them all one by one, leave the innocent girl last and she defeat him? Or maybe some backwoods cannibals that will hunt them down and eat them? Well, you can think all you want, but just like the poster in the lobby says, “You think you know the story…“

I can’t tell you much more than this, not that I don’t want to, but because once in awhile a film comes along that everyone has a sworn secret not to reveal the plot. A plot SO twisted and secret and important you can’t say anything else or the entire film is blown for you. There would be no reason to go if you knew the secret of the story. However, here’s what I can tell you. This isn’t your typical horror film. This is a new form of horror. It takes the “poke fun of” attitude of Scream and takes it to the next level. The film is directed by Drew Goddard who wrote the hit film; Cloverfield. And the film was written by Joss Wheldon. Joss is very big because he was the writer and creator of hit shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly. Joss put some of the actors from those hit shows as cameos in Cabin in the woods and if you are a fan of his work you’ll know them right away.

Here’s the thing about Joss & this film; if you are a fan of Buffy and Angel, you know that every and anything could happen on any givin episode. Cabin in the woodsis very influenced by those shows and that’s all I can say. Cabin in the woods is campy, fun, different, a rollercoaster ride, scary, hip, and takes a look at the typical horror film scenario and explains a few things like; Why do we go and see what that strange noise was? Why do we go down in the basement? And who is that stranger at the gas station that you stop by right before you get to the cabin? Among many other scenes we’re all familiar with. The film also stars Richard Jenkins as Sitterson and Bradley Whitford as Hadley, just “two guys and another day at the office” that’s all I can say, but the two actors work very well with each other and make the film move along nicely. With stereotypes, clitches, familiar scenarios – Cabin in the woods is a fun film to go see if you really want something new in horror, but whatever you do…don’t give away the secret!

As much as I was strapped in and hooked by this film from the very start and friends of mine had already seen it twice on opening weekend (which is a good sign), the film really takes off and it doesn’t stop. You feel you need to catch your breath and you think you know what’s coming around every corner, but you’re wrong! In the middle of the film I said, I hope this film has a great ending because then it would be a great horror film, however, by the films end I was slightly disappointed. I thought this great scary ride would’ve had a big ending and it turned out … so-so. Not to say it’s not worth seeing, cause it is, but I just felt the ending could’ve been a little better. Other than that, this Evil Dead-type feel of a horror film truly went to the next level and is a lot of fun. I hope you enjoy!