The Cabin in the Woods: A Completely Unexpected, Reinvented Fun Something-Like-Horror Film!

Although Drew Goddard may be relatively new to directing, his involvement with Lost and Cloverfield alone make expectations for The Cabin in the Woods quite high.  And fortunately, through a completely post-modern, reinvention of the horror genre, complete with a tongue-in-cheek, smart self-awareness, Cabin does everything but disappoint.

Premise: Five innocent friends go for a break at a remote cabin in the woods, where they get more than they bargained for. Result: A brilliant horror-comedy twist that updates the genre and gives us hope for the future.

It only takes a few moments to realize that Cabin is going to be different than other horror films.   Goddard does an amazing job of destabilizing audience expectations instantly with a juxtaposition within the introductory frames of an ominous, ancient ritual played to a backdrop of equally menacing score with the sudden hand off to Sitterson (Richard Jenkins) and Hadley (Bradley Whitford) who putt along in their golf cart down a tunnel in a lab some place, prepping for some cruel experiment the way only mad scientists crossed with Dilbert can. And the Raimi-esque title shot to close out the sequence is just the final nudge audiences will need to realize they have walked into a completely different film than they thought.

Fortunately, and for once, the bait-and-switch is actually to the advantage of the fooled.  Cabin morphs instantly into one of the funnier and more frightening films of the decade, perfectly blending the sweet and savory of cinematic flavorings.  And audiences will be in on the joke quickly as well.  Each character is perfectly constructed both as horror cliché and as stand-up comedian, accenting both the foreboding of events to come and the noticeable hilarity of it all.

Enter Dana (Kristen Connolly) and Jules (Anna Hutchison) who have planned a trip to some remote cabin some place deep in the woods that Jules’ boyfriend, hunk and sweetling Curt (Chris Hemsworth), has invited them to.  There is no real back story here except to say that Curt’s cousin has recently acquired the cabin and that they all need a getaway.  Oh, and Dana is coming off a recent, painful breakup with her professor and the weekend is but a thinly veiled attempt to hook her up with McSteamy Jr., Holden (Jesse Williams). 

Of course, all this cliché is handled with aplomb, as the film is clearly aware of the flimsy nature of this set up; but the cut-aways to Sitterson/Hadley, their controlled lab and the covert-CIA nature of it all ensure audiences that everything has been pre-ordained. Oh, and add Marty (Fran Kranz) for ingenious stoner-comic relief, and you have yourself a deeply amusing and workable ignition.

As the film progresses, Goddard crafts scene after scene with the titillating formula of equal parts terror and laughter. While there is clearly the terrifying harbinger, Mordecai (Tim De Zarn), who plays his part perfectly as the creepy Hills-Have-Eyes-esque inbred gas station attendant, his frightening role is completely, and hysterically underplayed, by a speaker-phone gag and narration by our faithful puppeteers.  It all comes together wonderfully, with all the right hints of humorous foreshadowing and self-awareness.

The remainder of the film is a rollercoaster ride of terrifying scenes followed closely by brilliant satire.  The film completely understands the role it is playing as entertainer and manages to give you the best of both worlds.  As horrifying events take place on screen, audiences will be jerked from left to right, feeing one emotion, then another, then a completely distinct third in rotational sequence.  The pacing of the film, the jokes, and the monsters, all add to this cinematic crucible.

While the film ultimately falls someplace between horror and comedy, it is safe to say that it is a top caliber contestant in the horror-film-dark-comedy genre, like Drag Me to Hell and the Evil Dead films have been before.  Nevertheless, there is something far more modern here, more interesting than even these films delivered.  Here, Cabin offers us a story made better by how it is told, by the perpetual wink from its creators, and by the completely unpredictable nature of all the twists and turns we think we expect.  Too few are films that know audiences so well and can get away with fooling them so effectively.

The acting in the film is spot on.  Connolly, Hutchison, Helmsworth and Williams all quite effectively play their parts as puppets in the game, and manage to shift along character spectra effectively, when the unnatural controls of their environment manipulate them to do so.  However, Kranz, Jenkins and Whitford are the true stars here, delivering some astounding comedic timing that keeps the film fresh and exhilarating. Every time they speak, audiences will be drawn to them like puppies to kibble, eagerly and patiently anticipating their next treat.  And the perfectly orchestrated surprise by a special guest star at the end of the film really brings Cabin full circle.

The only drawbacks to Cabin are that it is far less horror than might have been desired.  Clearly, this was the purpose and what we are given is likely better than what we expected; but for strict horror buffs without the appreciation for a post-modern twist, this may miss the mark.  Additionally, the ending chaotic sequences are completely preposterous.  While on some level audiences may be too distracted by their own enjoyment to note it at the time, the resolution is brought about by an event that seems too simplistic, even for the tongue-in-cheek nature of this film.  But as the only event in the film likely to leave a bad after taste, audiences will likely take it and ask for another.

Overall, therefore, The Cabin in the Woods is a delightful nightmare, mixing all the right ingredients at all the right servings to give us a film we never knew we wanted.  But after we have tasted it, there’s no going back.

Rating: 8 – An expensive red wine and juicy steak