The Cabin in the Woods

3.5/4

Starring: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Bradley Whitford, Richard Jenkins

Rated R for Strong Bloody Horror Violence and Gore, Language, and Some Sexuality/Nudity

How does one begin to review "The Cabin in the Woods?"  For one thing, it defies description.  The film is so unusual that it was a challenge to market.  All things considered, it turned out well.  The trailer promised something weird, and the movie delivers.  Believe me, the trailer gives away nothing.  Second of all, it's impossible to describe what makes this movie so great without giving anything away.  This movie is best if you know nothing about it.

I'm going to be as vague as I can.  Five friends are going on a little excursion to a cabin in the woods (ha ha).  Weird things start happening almost as soon as they are out the door.  The gas station attendant is creepy and hostile, there's a mysterious two-way mirror, and the basement is filled with scary odds and ends.

That's it, really.  That's all I can say.  There's so much new stuff that goes on in this movie that it is impossible to  say any more.  Suffice it to say that from frame one, it's clear that this is going to be an unusual horror movie.  And yet, that's the genius of the movie.  Creators Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard give us little tidbits gradually.  Each scene reveals another clue, and it isn't until the end that the movie shows all its cards...and even then we're not sure how things are going to turn out.

The acting is effective, but horror movies are generally not known for their acting.  All the leads do their jobs effectively, although Jesse Williams makes for a boring hunk (even for a horror movie).  It's unusual to see adult character actors like Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford in a horror movie like this, but I'm not saying anything else about them.

"The Cabin in the Woods" was delayed for three years.  Normally, that's a cause for concern; studios want to release movies they think will sell as soon as possible.  Delaying a movie usually means trouble.  That's not the case here.  It was delayed because the studio wanted to convert the movie to 3D, which Goddard and Whedon were vehemently against.  Thankfully, the studio relented and released it as it was meant to be seen.

It's been a long time since a movie has surprised me like this.  Most movies are formulas that are too afraid to do anything different.  This one does.

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