Sometimes, the less you know about a film the better. I went into The Cabin in the Woods knowing very little. I'd seen some of the trailer and I knew, of course, that it's mostly about five kids going to a cabin in the woods where weird shit happens and that some guys in an office were involved but beyond that, I was pretty much clueless. That's the state of mind I hope to leave you in, dear reader: tantalised but not prepared for what you are about to see.
It's not a spoiler to say that some guys in an office are involved. Heck, the film opens on them - Steve (Richard Jenkins) and Richard (Bradley Whitford) - as they begin their day at work. Just ten minutes in, after we've met the five kids - Dana (Kristen Connolly), Curt (Chris Hemsworth), Jules (Anna Hutchison), Marty (Fran Kranz) and Holden (Jesse Williams) - who are leaving to go and stay at a cabin in the woods for the weekend, the presence of a man dressed all in black crouching on the roof of Dana's house, watching them drive away gives a pretty big hint as to what's happening. Indeed, ten minutes later when Steve and Richard are joined at work by Wendy (Amy Acker), we know exactly what's going on. The thrill comes not from finding out what's happening but from watching it unfold. If that sounds cryptic, it's meant to.
The best way I can describe The Cabin in the Woods is as an unholy mash-up between The Evil Dead, My Little Eye, The Cube, The Truman Show, Tucker & Dale vs Evil and Scream. Plus, it's produced and co-written by Joss Whedon so you know that the humour is absolutely spot-on. He has described The Cabin in the Woods as a response to "torture porn" and also as a reminder of what horror films can be and perhaps, should be. He's got a point and it's a pity that the film has been stuck in limbo for the past three years because had it been released in 2009 it would have made more of an impact. But now, "torture porn" has, for the most part, fallen out of fashion, replaced by remakes and 3D extravaganzas. It's a pity because the debate over the artistic value of "torture porn" films (a term I dislike) would certainly have benefitted from the critique that The Cabin in the Woods offers.
Fans of the horror film genre will likely love The Cabin in the Woods. I certainly did. It was particularly enjoyable picking out all of the references to horror films old and new. The only problem the film has is that being so self-referential and parodic it feels quite inaccessible to pretty much everyone who isn't already a horror buff. Films like Tucker & Dale vs Evil and Scream were better for the fact that you didn't have to have a working knowledge of horror films to really appreciate them. In being late to the "torture porn" party I fear that it's already irrelevant and it's lack of wider appeal may make this an unfortunate failure. It certainly doesn't deserve to fail.
The Cabin in the Woods is a brilliant horror film: funny, well acted, full of excellent send-ups of the horror genre and very, very, very gory. Horror fans, flock to see this film. For everyone else, take the chance. You might not get every reference (he's based on a character from Hellraiser, before you ask) but you'll laugh just the same and you'll wince just the same. If it means you then go and watch The Evil Dead on DVD, all the better!
A thoroughly enjoyable film and one of the most original horror films I've seen in years. My minor quibbles with it prevent it from scoring a 10.
9 out of 10.
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