Not so much a horror movie, or even a horror parody, but a film that can cleverly laugh at itself and still be somewhat serious.

Rating: 9/10 (1 May 2012)

A film's most common approach to being a parody of a movie genre is to make fun of itself and come off as ridiculous as possible, going for over-the-top begs for laugh and exaggerating as much as it can handle. When a horror movie tries to be original, it typically tries its best to break as far away from established formula as possible, or attempt to refresh the formula with new ideas. The Cabin in the Woods is successfully different because it isn't afraid of established formula. It makes a statement of originality by embracing horror formula and everything to do with running clichés in horror films instead of trying to escape the always lingering inevitability of them, and in the process of this embrace, it manages to be a parody that doesn't make its subject of exploit ridiculous by making fun of it. Instead, it utilizes the method of subtlety with clever dialogue and gags that are smart, hilarious, and raise thought-provoking points about horror films, while still respecting horror in cinema realistically and seriously. By doing this, it accomplishes deftly blending humor you can laugh at, and horror you can scream at, without either part being dominant, and never feeling like separate styles throughout the movie. There are enough references here that any fan of any horror sub-genre will appreciate, and by having so many it will provoke casual horror viewers to get more into horror culture from sheer intrigue. This also makes it something along the lines of a parody within a tribute, and one with intelligent observations of conventions through wise humor as opposed to stupid humor trying its best to make the film, and its mocking focus of horror movies look stupid, literally finding originality within the overused, and casually displaying smarts without the intention of being over- pretentious. A hybrid in that takes itself seriously and not too seriously. A horror movie that makes fun of its own self-awareness.