The Cabin In The Woods: DVD blu-ray, reviewed by Leo Owen …
Director: Drew Goddard
Writer: Joss Whedon, Drew Goddard
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: September 24 2012
Label: Lionsgate Home Entertainment UK
Running Time: 94 mins
Certificate:15
Starring: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins, Bradlay Whitford, Sigourney Weaver
The directional debut of the producer/writer of Lost arrived 18 months later than intended thanks to the bankruptcy of MGM but remains just as fresh. Drew Goddard teams up with the writer of the original Toy Story, Buffy and the more recent Avengers Assemble, to create The Cabin In The Woods, a truly joyous genre mash-up.
Opening in a large sterile science lab with hinters to fertility treatments, Mr Sitterson (Richard Jenkins) and Mr Hadlay (Bradlay Whitford) jovially discuss power tools and the prospect of “liberating” cabinets. Dramatic music accompanies horror B movie style large red font introducing the film, instantly suggesting all is not as it appears.
To reassure us, we’re right to be suspicious, Goddard switches the action to a girl’s bedroom. Here we meet Dana (Kristen Connolly), wandering around her room in pants, discussing her disastrous relationship with one of her professors with carefree newly-blonde chum, Jules (Anna Hutchison). Sociology-major-come-sports-jock, Curt (Chris Hemsworth) arrives on the scene, swiftly followed by stoner Marty (Fran Kranz) and straight-edge newbie, Holden (Jesse Williams). With the gang assembled, cries of “f**k yeah” are heard as they drive off for a secluded weekend of partying and you have to wonder what you’ve let yourself in for.
An abandoned gas station straight out of Wrong Turn and numerous other horror flicks is their first stop. Naturally a freaky redneck petrol attended spitting blood globules greets them, only to call the girls whores and warn them they won’t be returning. Despite having no GPS, the slightly shaken gang arrive at another familiar setting, clearly inspired by The Evil Dead – the titular cabin. Cries of “Let’s get this party started” turn to games of dare before the discovery of a freaky 1903 diary in the basement soon puts an abrupt end to their revelry. Stereotypical alpha males, latin incantations, eerie whispers and resurrected dead act as red herrings to suggest The Cabin In The Woods is going to be little more than a mediocre horror flick.
The earlier science lab scene and small hinters are hooks to keep intrigue high. Beyond the cliche there is certainly much more to Cabin than there initially appears: Why is there a mysterious forcefield around the cabin or a two-way mirror inside? What are the scientists betting on? Who is tracking the gang? What is the “The Harbinger”?…
Jenkins is bizarrely placed as a chauvinistic scientists while Sigourney Weaver makes an equally unexpected late appearance. Goddard’s teens play their stereotypes well with Jules making a particularly impressively disgusting move on a mounted wolf head as part of a juvenile dare: “There’s no need to huff and puff – I’ll let you come in!”
“Monsters, magic, gods… you get used to it”, says one of Goddard’s scientists, reaffirming through Cabin, he aims to play with audience expectations and tiresome genre cliches. His cellar acts as a place for conscious choices of “free will” while his concept lightly reminds us our own personal stories are “part of something bigger”. Although comparable to The Cube, The Truman Show and a whole bunch of horror films, Cabin manages to stand-out with an awesome action film ending that never compromises the film’s playful integrity. Although the twist justifies formulaic earlier scenes and is well worth the wait, it’s a shame the legendary conch never makes an appearance.
Special Features:
It’s Not What You Think: Bonus View Mode (Blu-ray exclusive)
We Are Not What We Are: Making The Cabin in the Woods
Primal Terror: Visual Effects
An Army of Nightmares: Make-Up & Animatronic Effects
The Secret Secret Stash
Feature Audio Commentary