Cabin in the Woods
Summary
Genre: Comedy, HorrorGoodies:
+ Fun and fast meta horror film that will be sure to please genre fans, + Uses tropes in a new and intelligent wayBaddies:
- Unexplained reasons for certain plot devicesFive friends go for a break at a remote cabin in the woods, where they get more than they bargained for. Together, they must discover the truth behind the cabin in the woods.
Cabin in the Woods may look and sound like a typical slasher / lost in the woods type of film, but it is anything but. First, looking at the fact that Joss Whedon is behind this, should tip off those who know that this is not something to be taken for granted. Cabin in the Woods uses horror stereotypes against itself, but in a way that is crafted with precision and beauty. Want to know why everyone separates in the films, why it is another hillbilly redneck zombie family film, why the blonde always dies, or why there is never more than one survivor? This film answers all those questions. Given that sometimes the answers feel a bit contrived, but the film is about bringing it all to the front in a very meta fashion. The typical story of going to a cabin and strange things happening is the premise, but the controllers of the “film within a film” is what makes this film stand out. All events in this film are controlled by an organization we never truly know, but they are manipulating the situations in the film to appease “The Ancients.” The film tugs back and forth between comedy and horror, but never taking horror seriously. For fans of horror, this film is a gift and a treat – references to many great horror films are sprinkled throughout the film, and then shoved in the face of viewers at the end of the film. A guest appearance by Sigourney Weaver only adds to many of the already great plot devices. The film, in my opinion, is not trying to be horror, but something beyond, and using it as a platform to investigate the worn out tropes of the genre. The film is fun and fast paced and deserves a viewing!
