Horror fans are in for a treat!

Rating: 8/10 (20 April 2012)

Believe the hype. I watched this film because of the incredible buzz it was generating among moviegoers, and of course Joss Whedon's involvement meant I had to check it out. If it wasn't for that then the film wouldn't have been on my radar whatsoever. It's safe to say that I don't regret spending my hard earned money to see this one.
This film is straight up a love letter to Horror. 'Cabin' makes a statement about everything that is wrong with slasher flicks these days, and it makes an attempt to revive the genre with a fresh take on it. For the most part, it succeeds.
If you are familiar with Whedon projects, you will instantly recognise his stamp on the film. The dialogue is consistently sharp and witty, and the humour, thrills and scares are balanced masterfully. Make no mistake, this film is hilarious. It manages to keep you on edge whilst delivering occasionally gut busting laughs. The actors do their respective jobs well playing our not-so-favourite horror movie stereotypes. The CGI is serviceable if not outstanding, some things look genuinely terrifying but on occasion a few things stood out as looking cartoonish. Drew Goddard did a bang up job in his first directorial effort, and did a good job of balancing the humour and scares.
I won't spoil anything, but there is a rather brilliant and fantastic twist to the film, we are gradually clued in as to what is really going on with the cabin, and by the time it was outright said what was going on most of us in the theatre had worked it out. The final act of the film really is something special, and is some of the most delightfully chaotic stuff you will have the opportunity to indulge in this year. Everyone will love this part of the film, but fans of the horror genre will especially adore it. All of this and we are then treated to a cameo by a legend of the sci-fi/horror genre, everyone will be familiar with this person, but only fans will truly appreciate their being featured in the film. This is definitely a fanboy's film, but it is also tailored for the more casual of audiences (again, something Whedon is well known for) and should still appeal to them.
The only reason that this film doesn't get a perfect 10 from me, is because aside from the third act of the film, it felt like at some parts it became what it was spoofing/paying homage to, depending on how you look at it. This is not a major criticism by any means, as it's triumphs more than make up for any small flaws. By all means it wasn't bad, it just wasn't anything "fresh" as was promised, in my opinion all the attention was focused on the surprise element of the story and as a result some scenes in 'Cabin' lacked flair and creativity. Minus the twist in the plot and third act, The Cabin in the Woods is, well, a competent if not special film about a cabin, in the woods. I had a great time watching Cabin in the Woods. Everyone should enjoy this film, but for horror/slasher fans, this is a must see.