The Cabin in the Woods

Movie Name: The Cabin in the Woods

Year of Release: 2012

Director: Drew Goddard

Stars: Kristen Connolly, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford, Brian White, Amy Acker, Sigourney Weaver

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:

"The Cabin in the Woods" is Drew Goddard's first feature film after a career as a writer for shows such as "Lost" and "Alias", to name but a few. The film was written with Joss Whedon, responsible for writing films such as "Toy Story", "Alien Resurrection" and creator of tv shows such as "Buffy, The Vampire Slayer" and "Dollhouse". "The Cabin in the Woods" follows the story of 5 college friends who go to a cabin for the weekend, to relax and enjoy the outdoors. While there, they start experiencing all sorts of horrors, which they then realize have been staged. The few surviving ones discover all sorts of horrors as they investigate what's behind everything they have experienced.
Drew Goddard's film experienced some problems coming to the screens, after the studio behind it collapsed. Luckily Lionsgate came along and has released what is an intelligent and different take on the traditional horror film and genre. The film smartly plays with cliches that have been established by other horror films (the college kids who get killed in a remote cabin), but takes it further, with a surprising twist that is both inventive and that brings humor to the whole premise. The film also benefits from a very good cast with established actors such as Richard Jenkins and in a surprising cameo Sigourney Weaver, who add further irreverence and a needed touch of irony to the whole concept. A good film worth checking out!