Movie Review - 'The Cabin in the Woods' is in a genre all on its own

April Barkley 
WCB Movie Writer

Studio - Lionsgate 

Director - Drew Goddard, Joss Whedon

Starring - Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford, Kristen Connolly, 

Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Franz Kranz, and Jesse Williams

Rating - 2.5 out 4 Stars

Well WCB readers, I saw the long awaited movie: The Cabin in the Woods. Can I say that I was totally impressed? No. But the mayhem that is this film kept me interested. It felt like I was watching Scream because of the horror/satire element minus Neve Campbell on the phone for 60 percent of the movie.

It follows your cliché group of college students, like the party girl who can’t keep her pants on, the alpha male, the pothead, and the shy girl that the well-mannered educated guy tries to chat up. They venture off to a remote cabin in the woods for a break from life to have some partying fun. But of course, things take a turn for the worst.

What’s the worst that could happen when you’re getting drunk with your friends in the middle of nowhere? Of course the worst will happen but much more intense than you’d think. But don’t worry; I won’t spoil it for you all. Just know, these poor friends have no idea that their fate is predetermined by someone/something that they don’t even realize is watching them; with a twisty conclusion.

Drew Goddard (Cloverfield) and Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly) co-wrote and produced this ridiculous yet entertaining horror flick. The college kids experience fear, gore, and an ending that is only partially successful. The movie itself is in a genre all on its own but the “secret” that we and the frenzied friends discover was over the top and discouraging. I laughed more than I was scared. Even though some parts made me jump, and I enjoyed the slasher component to it, it felt like a rip off from other movies. Which is okay, in my opinion, as long as they can pull it together in the end, and they only somewhat could.

No slasher movie with zombies and gallons of fake blood can be taken entirely seriously but at points, the plot was just too damn confusing and fast paced to keep up.

The Cabin in the Woods is now playing in theaters everywhere, staring Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth and Anna Hutchison. This is a movie that will get a lot of hype and just hearing about this “secret” that the press will rant and rave about will make you want to see it. What’s the cabin’s secret? Go find out! All I can say is, I won’t be heading to a cabin in the woods with my friends anytime soon.