REVIEW: Cabin in the Woods

Cabin in the Woods is the horror film fanboys and girls have been waiting for. Joss Whedon, reigning King of Geeks and creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Firefly, co-wrote and produced this film with longtime collaborator Drew Goddard. On the surface, it sounds like every cliched slasher flick ever written. A group of friends vacationing in a deserted cabin are greeted by some kind of monster hellbent on brutally slaying them. There's the innocent girl, the promiscuous girl, the jock, the smart kid, the stoner. The trailer even says "you think you know the story..." and "you think you know the place...". Trust me, you don't.  This is unlike any horror film you've seen before.

Whedon and Goddard tear the face off of the horror genre, attacking every horror movie trope we've been watching for years, and they do it with humor and ingenuity. Hardcore horror fans will be delighted by specific references scattered throughout the film (without giving too much away, I will simply say this: pay close attention to the white board scene). I do wonder how enjoyable the film would be to someone who doesn't watch a lot of horror and won't understand their tongue-in-cheek commentary on the genre.

The only flaw I found with the film is that it (quite literally) descends into madness in the third act, requiring a hefty suspension of disbelief to stay on board. I definitely had moments of "what the hell am I witnessing?" followed closely by "THIS IS FREAKIN' AWESOME!" It is by far the most creative horror movie I have seen.