So Many Great Things But They Didn't Come Together for Me

Rating: Null/10 (17 April 2012)

The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
** 1/2 (out of 4)
Horror-comedy with a familiar location (scary cabin in scary woods) with familiar characters (virgin, slut, pothead, athlete, brain) but with one major twist. The least you know the better so let's just say that five people go to a mysterious cabin in the woods and soon they're attacked by monsters. I must admit that it's been a very long time since a horror film made me think but that's exactly what THE CABIN IN THE WOODS did. I was thankful that I had a thirty-minute drive home because that would give me time to think about the film. It's strange because I enjoyed so much about the movie but in the end when the credits began to role it just didn't work for me. I thought all five actors were extremely good as were Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford. I thought the special effects were pretty good once everything got going. I thought the atmosphere in the woods was very authentic and I thought there were a couple good, old-fashioned jump scenes that really worked. I even thought several bits of the comedy worked including the various jokes with the pothead. Even the big twist that I won't ruin was an interesting spin on the familiar subject matter. So, why did I enjoy the film more? In the end I just don't think all these different things came together for a complete movie. Yes, I respect the filmmakers a great deal for trying something new and I give them a lot of credit for not delivering your typical slasher but at the same time I just felt it went overboard in the final act. We're given an explanation for what we're watching but this too didn't work for me. I actually thought the best moments in the picture is when they go for straight terror and this happens in the woods as our five victims are being stalked. For the sake of the film I won't ruin what monsters attack them but they're very effective. Perhaps a second viewing would help. Again, it's strange to enjoy so much about a movie and not come away liking it more but THE CABIN IN THE WOODS is just the type of film that I respect more than I actually enjoyed.