Cabin In The Woods Movie Review

Starring:

	Kristen Connolly	…	Dana
	Chris Hemsworth	…	Curt
	Anna Hutchison	…	Jules
	Fran Kranz	…	Marty
	Jesse Williams	…	Holden
	Richard Jenkins	…	Sitterson
	Bradley Whitford	…	Hadley
	Brian White	…	Truman
	Amy Acker	…	Lin
	Tim De Zarn	…	Mordecai
	Tom Lenk	…	Ronald The Intern
	Dan Payne	…	Mathew Buckner
	Jodelle Ferland	…	Patience Buckner
	Dan Shea	…	Father Buckner
	Maya Massar	…	Mother Buckner

Director: Drew Goddard

Writers: Joss Whedon, Drew Goddard

First off I’d like to just say, JOSS WHEDON is frggin amazing. He co-wrote the script with the director of this amazing picture, Drew Goddard & the two craft an amazing story if not a good horror story, with a twist, and A LOT of wit. If you know what “Torture Porn” is, then you can understand the frustration the two previously mentioned, share with what the horror genre has turned into these days. As I said in my Shining Review, I’m not a big fan of horror/scary movies. Not because I’m a chicken or anything, I just don’t care to watch poorly acted movies on purpose (let’s face it, no one goes to see good acting, but good human mutilation in a typical horror movie). And maybe because when I got into film school, a teacher of mine said “Horror movies can only be two things; It can be really good and execute with scaring even the most  stone walled person, or it can be terribly funny from the story, or how bad it actually is.” (Think Jason Goes to Manhattan) Now lets get to this review.

*[SPOILER ALERT]*

“Five friends go for a break at a remote cabin in the woods, where they get more than they bargained for. Together, they must discover the truth behind the cabin in the woods.”

YES, I JUST GAVE YOU THE PLOT SUMMARY, SUE ME. I did that so that you can enjoy the twist if you watch it. If not keep on reading. I will eventually “ruin” it for you

So the movie itself blew me away. That may be in part to my rules about movies as I said in my “Chronicle” review, I don’t watch many promo’s for movies as to not ruin anything about the movie, Though, I did see one trailer for this movie, it didn’t look that good.

 As I said, Joss whedon is such a GOOD writer, it was one reason I was even remotely interested in this movie, and I wanted to see more of his style since he’s directing the biggest movie of the year, The Avengers (He wrote and directed that one too, I may have a “rant” of all this years summer movies if I feel for it before May 4th)

*[BIGGER SPOILER ALERT]*

I’m side tracking, The movie is, in a sense, like the Scary movie series that the Wayan’s brothers started and then got tiresome by time the 3rd instalment rolled out. I felt it was a visual “FUCK YOU” to what horror movie are these days (if not always have been) in a way, the film is saying: “This is what makes a movie scary good and stupid at the same time. THESE PLOT POINTS.” There was a lot of homage to previous horror movie horror movie antagonist which was cool to me as a fan of movies. (Oddly enough, I knew quite a few of them.) Its hard to say/classify what the movie was trying to be exactly. But the trailer plays it off more like a typical horror movie so that is good marketing to get avid horror fans into the theatres to see this film.

 The acting though was, as expected, BAD (But that may have been intentional. Most notably from Kristen Connolly. She just didn’t deliver her lines with any real talent or emotion. I don’t think that was the fault of the director. Sometimes you just have to go with what the budget can provide. The story’s “meaning and delivery” was much bigger in the scope of importance anyway. The best performance came from “Marty” (Fran Kranz) maybe because he was the only one aware of the “Puppeteers” lol.

There was maybe Four continuity errors that I might have noticed and can remember. Not much in terms of “meaningful” camera angles. It was pretty straight forward movie.

Just Remember:

1. If an old man warns you not to go there… make fun of him.
2. If you hear a strange sound outside… have sex.
3. Quaint abandoned property… sold.
4. You think you know the story.
5. If something is chasing you… split up.
6. If a door opens at random… IT HAS to be the wind.

• Overall rating of the movie: 3.3 out of 5,
• Cinematography: 2 out of 5,
• Editing: 2.7 out of 5,
• Audio: 3 out of 5,
• Acting: 2.8 out of 5,
• CGI: 4 out of 5.
• Theatres or wait for the blu-ray? If you have a “cheap day” for the movies, then go to see it on that day, if not then if you’re an avid Horror fan, or agree with what I said, You may want to own this movie, but I can’t see too many owning this movie.

THAT’S IT! Cheers: “To Peace” and May the Force be with you!

– Xavier – @CoolyoNgeLEW