Have you ever watched a movie that was so good you wish you made it? That’s the feeling the 2011 horror/comedy film Cabin in the Woods gave me. I went into this completely blind, not only have I never seen spoilers for the movie, but I had no idea it even existed. This film has a similar structure to the beloved Scream franchise through the parodying of common horror movie tropes, but it also is just as enjoyable and so much more chilling then Scream. There is so much to talk about with this film, so as always spoilers ahead.
Character archetypes, like in any parody, are integral parts to Cabin in the Woods. Plot wise it’s everything, each character and their death matters to the “Ancient Rule”, which is both a fun stab at the “rules” horror movie tropes tend to set but also the evil entity that drives the antagonists- The Organization- to do what they do. Each of the characters we see throughout this film seem simple, but once you look below the surface there is so much to appreciate and analyze. Our protagonist, Dana Polk, is one of them. Although she does fall into the common “not like other girls” archetype, especially in comparison to her best friend Jules Louden, she has much more depth to her than just that. We see Dana put the pieces together throughout the movie but also battle morality as the movie ends. When she has to pick between personally killing her close best friend, who had saved her life not long before, and allowing the rest of the world to die with her, we see her be willing to cause her friend’s death and her own to save humanity. And by a twist of events she does end up choosing to sacrifice humanity, I was not only surprised by this but deeply enjoyed it. In film we often see woman protagonists sacrifice themselves for the betterment of all, and yes maybe Dana should have saved the world in this specific scenario, but I believe that this was an interesting and fitting character choice that went against common practices.
In all honesty, I was extremely confused for the first half of the movie, until I realized that was the entire point. We are just as oblivious to the overarching plot as our group of protagonists, even though we see far more than they do. We get insight on the previously mentioned “Organization”, we get to experience mock scientists battle their own morality throughout the movie. Seeing the common theme throughout, following what they have always known while preventing the world from total destruction while feeling the guilt of killing innocent young adults weigh on them year after year. Something that is missing from a lot of horror movies is the nuance of the antagonists. In most horror movies the creatures and evils do vile acts just to do them, but even in this more humorous thriller we get to see the difficulties and moral challenges the antagonists face which to me personally makes their evil doings more satisfying and terrifying.
My favorite aspect of this film is the monsters, we see the main monsters: the Buckner Family (or zombie redneck torture family). As the movie progresses and The Organization gets the hell they have created for many people thrown back at them, we see clips of the hundreds of the other monsters they contain. Even with the comedic gore they show during the massacre that is the final act, I have to say it’s one of my favorite parts. We see so many different creatures terrorizing The Organization members in unique ways and it leaves the audience wanting more details on how they have been used in the past. I wish I could say I want more of this movie, that I want sequels like many other of the loved horror movies, but I can’t say that in good conscience. The movie ends exactly where it needs to, and in order to make a franchise out of this movie it would have to go back and possibly ruin the pre-established details.
All in all I love this movie, if that isn’t obvious. I went into it blind and I’m very grateful for that, it allowed me to experience the horror, thrill, comedy, and beauty of this humorous film. My final score is a 4.5/5, high I know, I can’t recommend it enough for those who are fans of Scream and other horror comedies.
