Could Be The Horror Movie of the Year!

Rating: Null/10 (15 April 2012)

The Cabin In The Woods I love movies like this because they are made for the fans. More than that they are made for the people who love horror movies. I don't mean love them the way a fan gets all excited about them. I mean the people who love them the way you're supposed to love your children. How, even in the face of some pretty great mistakes, instead of getting all angry and beating them up you instead hang your head in disappointment but hug them and let them know it's OK and they can try again the next time. These movies, like The Cabin In The Woods... these are the ones that last a lifetime.
I went into this movie sort of forcing myself because I didn't pay much attention to it. The trailers didn't really excite me, though it looked fun. I think that's mostly because it wasn't familiar to me or maybe it was too familiar where it looked like another Hollywood train-wreck. With all the good word of mouth and a free weekend when it opened, as a representative of the horror genre, I felt it was my responsibility to go see this thing.
I have to tell you that I'm pretty good about judging if a movie is going to be a lot of fun or not for myself and I was genuinely surprised. I went in not sure what to expect, but ready for being less than happy with it the way I honestly felt about Scream 4. I mean I am a HUGE Scream fan, but something just never sat right with me and the last movie. I always hated that. I dig the flick, as a fan of the franchise it was still fun to see all that they showed us, but it just felt foreign to me. Well, with Cabin I kind of started out feeling that way before I even thought about going to see the movie.
I left the theater feeling excited and really happy about where this movie took me. The journey was familiar, yet new and unexpected. When they say you don't know what this movie is about even if you think you do... they are not kidding.
From front to back this thing is one big ride on the most perfect horror attraction that could ever be built at this time. The fun of it is in the story but also in being able to pick out all the special nods to just about every popular horror name in movies that you can think of. Once the DVD comes out I know I'll be watching over and over just to try to get them all. But it doesn't take away from the movie being its own thing and they covered it in this truly unique and imaginative way. I was really satisfied when it was done.
The only thing I can say that really isn't a negative but might be taken that way if I don't express this right... The ending isn't necessary. In almost any movie you wait and wait throughout the journey of the story for the payoff at the end. So many films have ended without the payoff and you get annoyed and feel like something was left out and you feel like the ending was crap and ruined the whole movie sometimes. Well, sometimes it's better to not have that payoff. The films that give in and give you what you're waiting for all that time can be fantastic, but after seeing the end to this I can pick out at least three places it would have been just as proper to roll credits as where they cut it. I think the film would have been better without that final cap at the end.
Don't get me wrong. This film was indeed outstanding and I believe that it will be something people will talk about for a long time and friends will have parties over it and make up games to it. I believe it will become as iconic as Scream did. If you are not sure if you want to see this or not, you should totally just give in and see it. There's no excuse not to see it and as a horror fan or even just someone who loves a good movie, you have a responsibility to go see this film to show studios what you want in a movie.
If you're thinking you'll wait for the DVD or wait until it's on TV or something, you'll be a little more disappointed because the big screen really works with this flick. You'll be glad you checked it out this way so you can appreciate the enormity of some of the things in the film. It will be just as great watching on your television or laptop, but you'd be doing yourself a favor by giving yourself this memory. Don't miss out on what everyone else will be talking about. And if you do, you have no one to blame for spoilers but yourself because people won't be able to stop talking about it no matter how much you throw a fit.
Take some time and enjoy the horror that is The Cabin In The Woods.

Mr. Frights