The Cabin in the Woods

A group of randy youthful adults set off for a cabin in the woods and ridiculous horrors ensue in The Cabin in the Woods. The Cabin in the Woods is certainly no conventional horror movie, with a vein of cheeky nonsense running though it, but no matter how strong the resistance, the quirks and fun-poking of the genre makes submission to enjoyment probable.

A group of five college-age friends head off in an RV to a cabin in the woods. There are hints that things are not quite right, but most the friends miss them. It is not long after they arrive that they realize they are in a fight for their lives.

Writer Joss Whedon and writer-director Drew Goddard set out simultaneously to poke fun at horror films and no area of the genre goes unbruised. There is no shortage of unabashed tongue-in-cheek gooftasticness in amongst some pretty gruesome kill scenes. Much of the film is like a wave, if you do not go with it, it will crush you or you will just get tired. If you swim into it, or ride on it you might just have some fun. There are parts that they made so obviously impossible and absurd that the audience has to just giggle and go with it. The stakes are so high in the film and the peril so large that it is hard not to roll your eyes and cough up a chuckle.

Until the last half an hour of The Cabin in the Woods, all the kills scenes are classic horror set ups, including sneaky camera angles, naked boobies, and alpha male failures. The kill scenes do not shy away from gore, especially at the end of the movie. It may have not worked if the film were serious but because the audience can not help but know the movie is being supercilious, it is just good fun.

The less predictable aspect of the film is what is taking place outside of the cabin and the vested interest in the outcome of the friends. Whedon and Goddard just whizzed right past the top, barely scraping their feet on it.

It is not all blue skies and silly goodness. There is little emotional attachment to any of the characters, so there is no reason to care when they die, which makes the film a bit one-dimensional. There is room for improvement in some of the special effects. Some of the dialogue is a bit head scratching.

Cabin in the Woods is cinematic bubble gum. It tastes good but it is not nutritional or even provide any sustenance. That does not stop anyone from popping a piece, because it is entertaining to chew and blow bubbles for a little while. The Cabin in the Woods will not aid in your survival or emotional development but it is a fun, sweet little slobbery bubble.

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