- If you actually use every cliché in
the book, is that a cliché?
I'm going to try another horror movie
on my blog here again. I am hoping that my last and only horror
movie review, Mother's Day, did so poorly for hits because it wasn't
quite a current movie. Or perhaps I am just bad at reviewing horror
movies due to my dislike of the genre “torture porn” horror
movies. It is then with great pleasure that this week I'll be
reviewing The Cabin in the Woods. This is for two reasons. Firstly,
I like Joss Whedon, not in the “everything he does is fantastic”
way, but in the “he has had some decent stuff so I'll give him a
chance” kind of way. Secondly, Joss Whedon described the film as
an attempt to rejuvenate the horror genre, which he and
director/co-writer Drew Goddard felt had “devolved” with the
uprising of “torture porn”. Pretty bold words, right? Nobody
can just let that sit like that. You have to see what he's selling
when you say something like that, so here we go.
Cabin in the Woods is certainly a
different take on the horror genre but still presented in a similar
fashion. The trailers for it make it just about as campy as can be
but give clues into a clearly new and exciting twist on the old
genre. After watching the movie, I think the movie is better served
going into it without prior knowledge than what I have said. If you
just want the short, I'm glad to say, yes the movie was good enough
for a viewing, you have this reviewers recommendation. However if
you want more meat on your bones and perhaps don't mind a few
spoilers to get your attention, keep reading to see why you should
see this movie.
The
story starts off with you seeing “the other side” of things. You
see a few people including Bradley Whitford, Richard Jenkins and Amy Acker (a Whedon
favourite) talking about a project going down this weekend. It's all
strange and eerie since the title clearly has nothing about spooky
office building hijinks. It cuts away and finally brings in
something that is traditional and expected from the audience at this
point - horror clichés; the athlete, the scholar, the fool, the
loose one and the virgin are introduced. It's all cliché after cliché but there is
just a bit of juicy information hiding within to keep the audience
guessing. There are a few reveals all of which are to me more
humorous than anything else, something I feel rather weary about
regardless if it was all deliberate or not. But more on that in a
bit.
The
main cliché-ridden characters are not stupid by their own means, if
they are stupid; outside interference was involved and explaining
that might just go too far into spoilers for even a review. However
I felt their stupidity was explained in such a way that it's more
acceptable. We all have that one friend who shouts “Don't go into
the kitchen alone, incredibly sassy lady with a chip on her
shoulder!” Well that kind of thing doesn't really happen so I'm
inclined to say when the characters have their senses are logical and
fit the situations posed to them.
 |
| Pop quiz: Identify each character by their stereotype. |
As
with any Joss Whedon creation, he always brings a few friends along
for the ride. I caught two of his friends in the movie, Amy Acker
(Angel) and Fran Kranz (Dollhouse). You may not know them but to
Whedon fans this is probably the most excited you're going to get
about actors in the movie. I'm surprised Chris Hemsworth was in
this, but then realized that this was filmed before Thor's release
and then released long after, as I believe he is probably considered
the biggest name now after Thor/Avengers. The acting is solid
enough, Fran Kranz and Bradley Whitford are probably the top
performers within the movie. Nobody's death screams were poor, most
of the anguish is believable and the entire operation staff add a
flare of real life Monday to Friday workforce attitude that make it a
lot more believable.
I
enjoyed the movie quite a bit to be honest, I laughed a lot, never
got tired, the twists weren't too far out of left field. Yet it was
still entertaining. The only concern I have is I'm afraid that Joss
Whedon wanted to deconstruct the horror genre, as he thinks the
pendulum has swung too much into “torture porn” and has made a 1
hour 35 minute movie tearing a new one in all the clichés of
'80s/'90s horror. I enjoyed this movie for what it was (a gory
comedy), I just don't really feel as if it has taught anyone a
lesson. The “torture porn” horror genre is still going on strong
with Saw reboot rumours running around, and the cheesy '80s/'90s
clichéd horror movies will always be made, (whether seriously or
SyFy seriously). You're to judge, but I don't think Whedon was
successful in enabling those who need to think outside their small
confined horror boxes in the way he had hoped.
I'm
giving this a 8/10
PS:
If you are well versed in Joss Whedon writing, you know exactly what
is going to happen, I'm afraid.
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