The Cabin in the Woods is, among other things, a love letter to the conventions of the horror movie genre: conventions that are so persistent and firmly established in the minds of moviegoers that they have become cliches. But director Drew Goddard and producer Joss Whedon also have plenty to say about why these conventions are so persistent. Why do horror movies force characters to conform to broad stereotypes like The Fool, The Whore, and The Jock. Why do the characters in horror movies make such stupid decisions (“Hey, you guys, there’s a slobbering supernatural horror chasing us. Let’s split up!”)? Why do horror movies demand a display of T&A and then punish any character that obliges? Cabin answers these with both snark and insight.
For all its clever meta shenanigans, Cabin isn’t a movie targeted solely at film school grads. It’s genuinely scary and chock full of the snappy, biting dialogue that made Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly such great television. It’s difficult to discuss specific plot points with divulging spoilers, but the last quarter of the film is a big, bloody bowl of awesome; one of the most frenetically and gleefully nihilistic climaxes in the annals of horror movie history. I’ll likely purchase Cabin on Blu-ray because it’s one of those movies that rewards multiple viewings, both in terms of theme and eye candy.
