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This surprisingly fresh horror film comes courtesy of Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard, basically two uber-creative writers who got together to make an original and on-target flick. It follows five unsuspecting, yet stereotypical (jock, slut, pothead, pretty boy, virgin) college students as they travel to a cabin in the middle of nowhere to spend a weekend unwinding from school. What they get is an entirely different experience than what they bargained for.
In a very commendable and thoughtful job, Whedon and Goddard deliver something new that blends gore porn with suspenseful intrigue and witty dialogue while both adhering to the mores of horror and reinventing it at the same time. the characters are likable enough, particularly our nonchalant puppet-masters; Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford.
Starting with a head-scratching discussion in a sterile science lab, the film creates questions upon questions that brilliantly intentionally aren't answered until the guilty pleasure orgy of a satisfying climax. That's what separates this film from others in the most difficult genre to film. The Cabin in the Woods doesn't try to be a horror film, it tries to do something different, and horror genre staples are conveniently used to facilitate the message.
As a viewer, you feel like an outsider watching a third person narrative. You are constantly brought back to the idea that the unsuspecting kids in the cabin are not simply being attacked by zombies, but that there is another layer of drama unfolding above them. The cuts are masterfully placed because it both relieves tension normally reserved for simple slasher film plot lines, while amplifying tension within the larger storyline.
The actors deliver exactly in the fashion that they are intended. Among the five "victims", Chris Hemsworth takes a step back from being Thor to show that he is a decent actor who can deliver timely lines and provide a reassuring aura of familiarity to the group. Jesse Williams would be the other recognizable name/face, but he is simply dead meat from the get-go.
The real brilliance resides in the duo of Whitford and Jenkins, who excel at deadpan lines that break the suspense like a sledgehammer, but in an entirely intended fashion. Their roles couldn't be played any more succinctly. It must have been an amazing discussion between the two of them and Whedon and Goddard. I would have loved to be at that table.
It's the details that makes this film successful. Although the film as a whole is a bit ambitious, the small victories reside in the selection of music in the background, or the dialogue leading up to the hard action. This film doesn't take itself too seriously, and it's obvious by way of the third person in the control room.
You will be asking yourself "what the hell is going on?" as the film progresses, but rest assured that you will be satisfied in the end. It might be preposterous, but it is worth the wait. The climax is an absolute barrage of nightmares that converge on the viewer in a way that leaves no stone unturned. Do you hate werewolves? Clowns? Snakes? Children who do that creepy thing in horror films? You will be satisfied, and I'm sure that Whedon and Goddard had an amazing time coming up with this story.
If you're a fan of horror, this is a great film. I am not saying that this is a great film by any stretch of the imagination, but it reinvigorates a genre that is simply beaten to death and nearly impossible for anyone to do it justice by CGI and Eli Roth's influence.
This isn't a scary film, it's a clever commentary on the genre with deeper social and political ideas that are barely scratched, but exist nonetheless. I would have to recommend this film as a social experiment of its own. Originality prevails, and I can't wait until the Avengers - Go Joss Whedon! 8/10.
