Mind-blowing

Rating: 10/10 (21 April 2012)

I'd like to say that first of all I'd advise you not read any reviews or watch any trailers for this film. I wouldn't even read this one if you haven't seen it yet because although I will really try not to give anything away, I can't be sure because I haven't yet looked into the future. The fact is "The Cabin In The Woods" is like "The Ordeal" in the sense that with "The Ordeal" or you need to know before watching it is that a singer's car breaks down in the woods. Similary with this film all you need to know is that 5 young adults stay at a cabin in the woods. Luckily when I went in I didn't know too much and so I didn't know what to expect at all, but I certainly didn't expect to see what I did see. Just leave all your logic at the cinema's car park (or DVD case if you're reading this in the future) and prepare to have your mind blown.
I don't mean to hype this up or anything but it is as good as everyone does say and it took me some time after the film had finished to adjust to that. I wasn't expecting "The Cabin In The Woods" to be so insane or 'out there' that I was shocked, and I didn't know if it was pleasantly. When the film did finish I couldn't make my mind up if what I just saw was completely brilliant or just cr*p, or if I loved it or hated it (to be fair I was leaning over to the 'love' side just because I had a ball watching it). But, once I had time to gather my thoughts, because "The Cabin In The Woods" does surprisingly give you a lot to take in, I realised that I had just seen a masterpiece. It's revolutionary and is probably the king of all slashers because it manages to explain them so well, with it being also marvellously entertaining. It manages to dissect the slasher sub genre and almost the whole horror genre itself in a even braver way than "Scream" did! "The Cabin In The Wood" has been described as this generations "Scream" and I think I have to agree, I just hope we don't get any "Cabin" copy-cats which "Scream" created! The film opens up in a unusual way and manages to set the vibe you're about to sit yourself in for. We get some stereotypical horror-movie titles with blood dripping down and pictures of old sacrifices and then it's immediately juxtaposed with two technicians having an every-day chat in an office-type building, which almost acts as a oxymoron for what you were expecting. Then the titles flash up on the screen, which I loved because it was unexpected and also not really fitting, which is really what describes the film. And then the first 20 minutes or so show us the stereotypical slasher film, it's amazingly clichéd, but it's clichéd for a reason. We've got our stereotypical five friends, one couple and one 'potential' couple and then we've got the drug-taking nut-case who is actually quite likable, unlike most druggies in horror films who are so annoying that you can't wait to see them die! And then they go off to the cabin, your stereotypical replica of "The Evil Dead" after stopping at a "Wrong Turn" slash "The Hills Have Eyes" styled petrol station that's run by a crazy hill-billy. It's all marvellously done and is basically everyone's schema of a slasher film.
But once the basement opens it becomes far from your stereotypical slasher film. It becomes a non-stop exciting fight for survival and that's all I'll say about it. The bottom line is that it's really fun and sometimes quite scary. The final 25 minutes or so actually end up as being one of the craziest sequences since the big mum ending in Peter Jackson's "Braindead". It's bloody, chaotic and also serves a purpose. "The Cabin In The Woods" is an extremely intelligent horror film as well as being "Breathlessly entertaining" as a quote on the poster promises. It's wonderfully wittedly written by Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard who's work I've been impressed with on "Cloverfield" and "Let Me In". "The Cabin In The Woods" really does show their true potential though, by presenting something so simple and stupid and then turning it into something incredibly complex, intelligent and high-concept. It's sort of like a fun/funny version of "Martyrs" in that when you think it's going one way it goes in a completely different direction and throws you off. It's fabulous. Also, all the characters are actually likable, which I always say is the body of a good slasher film.
I really admire films that are brave and "The Cabin In The Woods" could've turned into a confused mess. But luckily by not taking itself seriously (at all!) and structuring itself carefully, it turns itself into an incredibly memorable horror comedy. It presents a disturbing view of reality and the slasher genre, but what's even more disturbing is that something this spectacular was sitting on a shelf for three years gathering up dust! And the reason behind that is even more disturbing! They were thinking about converting it into 3D. That would be a tragedy and would perhaps suck out its substance, by putting its style first.
It absolutely deserves a perfect 10 but, people who have never seen a slasher film before are likely to disagree. I saw this film almost one week ago and it still hasn't been out of my head (which isn't the best thing when your A-level exams are 3 weeks away) which you can't say for many films. Also it really is so unique that you couldn't give it any less. Oh, and I'll give you one million pounds if you saw the ending coming a mile off. I can't wait to see it again.