Shot in 2009, released in 2012 “The Cabin in the Woods” is a horror film that was ahead of its time. It is what starts out as the typical horror story: five college kids go to a deserted cabin in the woods in the middle of nowhere that has “The Evil Dead” written all over it with a touch of Camp Crystal Lake. They end up conjuring up the kind of monsters that are madly popular these days, zombies. But they’re more slasher zombies than anything that can’t really be killed.
The friends are in for the night of their lives if they can survive it. Chris Hemsworth plays the jock-type in a pre-“Thor” role and the cast also includes Richard Jenkins (“Step Brothers”) and Bradley Whitford (“Billy Madison”). Every one of the friends to struggle to survive is likable, contrary to other typical horror films – it leaves you rooting for everyone. Especially Marty (Fran Kranz) a comedic relief stoner who actually knows more than you think.
Without trying to give anything away, the overall film is a kind of satirical look of the horror genre in general. It flips the whole genre on its side and makes for a hilarious, clever, sexy and scary roller coster ride. It takes the American consumerism of the horror film to a literal height and pokes fun of typical horror lore that is abused over and over in tons of films. The piercing soundtrack and brutal gory violence makes you feel it every time one of the missable college kids bites the dust.
“Cloverfield” writer Drew Goddard makes his directorial debut with a script written by both him and Joss Whedon (creator of the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” TV series). The witty dialogue is spot on from beginning to end, and every actor embraces it fully and completely translating perfectly onto the screen. The feeling after seeing “The Cabin in the Woods” is happiness to have seen it and experienced a new look at the horror genre.
If you’re a horror film fan, “The Cabin in the Woods” is what you should go see this weekend. It was released today in theaters everywhere.
