Usually when anybody is talking about horror movies, there are a certain number of assumptions that have to be kept in mind. One of them is the willful suspension of disbelief that none of the characters in the movie will make an intelligent decision. After all, if people in horror movies were smart, they wouldn’t have much of a problem surviving many of the situations. A second assumption is that there is some sort of fantastic and perhaps supernatural circumstance is causing torment to a group of innocent citizens. Cabin in the Woods is a film that embraces the cliches of the horror genre but also adds enough twist to the ordeal to make it a fascinating and extremely entertaining experience. These assumptions people make about horror movies are an integral part of this movie and are even given explanations. As outrageous as those explanations are, its refreshing to see a horror film willing to take things to a different level.
Without giving too much away, Cabin in the Woods takes a pretty standard horror plot and reaches further than one would assume. A group of college kids are taking a vacation to a cabin in the woods (woah!) to party and have a good time. Characters appear to be pretty standard for horror movies, especially the creepy gas station attendant who preaches the normal gloom and doom to the unsuspecting college students. Clearly something dark is waiting for them at the cabin, as anybody who has seen a dozen horror movies could say. However, all of this is happening while a bunch of businesslike men and woman are scrambling in offices and in front of giant computer terminals with the main group of college kids on their screens. They are being watched. That’s more than anybody should know about the movie. Just know that Cabin in the Woods has more in store for the viewer than most movies of its type.
Another important thing about this movie is that it is practically a comedy. Cabin in the Woods never takes itself too seriously or gets heavy handed in the horror elements (gory, but not too gory or extreme). Nearly every scene early on in the movie has a line or two worthy of a laugh. The comedy works so well because of how aware the movie is of its own nature. The filmmakers knew that horror movies don’t really make much sense when real-life logic is applied to them, so characters are poking fun at the situations and the script balances comedy with horror perfectly (especially when the observing men and women in the office are taking bets about what is going to happen to the college students). Joss Whedon is one of the writers here, so it isn’t difficult to understand why each line is sharp and meaningful. The acting greatly helps the comedy along, with all actors giving well above average performances for horror films. Its seems like many of the actors probably had a lot of fun filming this movie.
Hardcore horror fans will be particularly fond of Cabin in the Woods because of the constant wave of horror references. Perhaps references isn’t the right word, but rather homages, because what is happening isn’t necessarily explicitly referencing other movies, but simply mirrors the same aesthetics and situations as them. Again, without spoiling anything, there are homages to films like Friday the 13th, Evil Dead, and Hellraiser. I found these references to be effective and made the overall experience have a familiar feeling, but not so familiar that I was bored by it.
Normally when doing a review, I would go more into what elements of the plot I liked and didn’t like, but I’m trying to avoid spoilers because I feel this movie is best seen knowing very little about it. There are some gripes I have with the movie, especially if you think too hard trying to make every scene make sense to the grand scheme of the plot. Cabin in the Woods is so set on playing with the classic elements of horror movies that it may get a bit too over-the-top at times. Still, there are so many twists and turns to the story and it takes it so far, I can’t help but give it a pass in that section. Even some of the cliche character roles are altered enough to make them seem more interesting (keep your eye on the stoner!). The only thing that keeps me, a legitimate, hardcore horror movie buff, from giving Cabin in the Woods a perfect rating is that, for the first half of the movie at least, pretty standard and predictable elements are being used. I know that its just setting up for the more outrageous and entertaining final act of the movie and that much of it plays homage to classic films, but I can’t justify a perfect 10 for a movie whose entertainment level depends largely on the prior knowledge a film goer has about the horror genre.
Still, Cabin in the Woods is easily one of the best horror movies in a very long time. It is a movie that plays with convention enough to keep things familiar, but offers enough fresh material to really impress and wow even the most well-watched horror buffs. Even if horror isn’t your favorite genre, Cabin in the Woods is a must see because of its comedic elements. All acting is top notch as well, especially for a horror movie (its cool to see Chris Hemsworth before he was Thor, as this movie was filmed before he played Thor). The script is water tight in the dialogue and setting department, and only falters slightly from relying on basic plot elements from other movies. All in all, Cabin in the Woods is a winner and is destined to be remembered as a sort of milestone in the horror genre (in lines with Scream and Saw). If anything, this movie tops all of those and gets top honors for taking more risks with the story and being much more comical.
9/10
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