The Cabin in the Woods

Let me just say, from genius Joss Whedon, creator of shows “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, “Angel” and “Firefly” and Drew Goddard, the man that brought us the terrifying and nauseating Cloverfield, I expected better. Critics and audiences alike are raving about The Cabin In The Woods, but for me, the film failed to live up to its hype.

Cabin starts off as any other teen horror movie would: a group of teenagers including Curt (a pre-Thor Chris Hemsworth), not-soVirgin Dana (Kristen Connolly), new guy Holden (Jessie Williams), sexy yet bookish Jules (Anna Hutchinson) and Marty (soon-to-be Whedon regular Fran Kranz) heading off to a remote location where various strange occurrences forebode a series of gruesome hunting’s and killings from a mysterious sometimes human and often other worldly being set out to kill the protagonists for no real reason other than as a plot point for a gruesome and gory slasher flick.

From Left: Kristen Connolly (Dana Polk), Jessie Williams (Holden McCrea),
 and Chris Hemsworth (Curt Vaughn)

But, only this time, the strange occurrences and other worldly beings are being controlled by an elite member of scientists who have been enforced to set the plan in motion for a greater cause. 

Cabin is occasionally witty and very clever, but the film lacks on character development as a whole.Those looking for Whedon's usual inclusion of girl-power will find it within in the film, mostly from an unexpected source who shall remain unnamed for those who haven't seen it just yet. The first 50 minutes or so chop and change from being generic horror genre drivel, to smart and engaging, and then to eye-rollingly irritating, although it must be said that the final act that follows is both extremely watchable and entertaining.

Cabin isn’t as “scary” as it is “jumpy”, and unlike other films in its genre it is intentionally hilarious. It should be said that however you feel about The Cabin in the Woods, you cannot deny that the film is extremely original, although the film loses is ground in places so to speak it will be unlike anything else you have, and will, see this year.

B-