The Cabin in the Woods is a 2011 horror film by Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon that looks like your typical slasher movie. The plot follows five college students (played by Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz and Jesse Williams) on a weekend trip to a secluded cabin in the woods. The cabin is so remote that they have no means of communicating with the outside world.
While exploring the cabin, the teens stumble upon a cellar filled with mystical relics. One of the students reads from a book in the cellar, awakening a zombie family who mercilessly hunt each of them down before slaying them violently. Unbeknownst to them, other factors are at play. In an underground laboratory, two engineers manipulate the events that unfold for a bigger purpose. Like many films in this genre, The Cabin in the Woods begins like almost any other horror movie: predictably.
From the moment the five students enter the cabin, they’re met with all the stereotypes one would expect from a creepy cabin in a horror film: chilling paintings, a two-way mirror and a basement filled with strange objects.
This setup lulls most viewers into a false sense of security as jump scares and gory deaths ensue. However, it soon becomes clear that a secret organisation is orchestrating the events and that this film is smarter than your average slasher movie.
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a rating of 92%, based on 294 reviews.
The site’s critical consensus reads: “The Cabin in the Woods is an astonishing meta-feat, capable of being funny, strange, and scary—frequently all at the same time.”
Critic Fiona Underhill described it as “one of THE best horror movies” that should be included in your annual Halloween viewing line-up.
Cinema Blend’s Editor in Chief, Katey Rich, gave the film 4.5 out of five stars, describing the film as “completely fresh”.
Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post rated The Cabin in the Woods three out of four stars, describing it as “deceivingly insightful” and “fiendishly clever.”
Steve Michaels from CBR describes the movie as a “horror masterpiece” that “elevates the genre by savagely critiquing it”.
In a review from October last year, the reviewer wrote: “Far from being a generic horror movie, Cabin in the Woods plays with fan’s expectations to surprise them with something completely original.
“In doing so, this film transcends horror even as it pays homage to it. The film manages to make a statement about the horror genre itself, the industry that produces it, and even the viewers who happily consume it.
“These clever twists, along with great writing and brilliant performances, make Cabin in the Woods a must-watch for fans of horror and lovers of film in general.”
However, audiences viewed the film less favourably, with some viewers describing it as “cheesy” and more of a comedy than a horror movie.
One person said on Rotten Tomatoes: “An interesting concept with very cheesy execution. It is definitely worth a watch but it wouldn’t blow anyone away.”
Another wrote: “It’s more of a comedy than a horror movie, but it’s still a pretty good movie. I wasn’t a fan of the ending of the movie.”
The Cabin in the Woods is currently streaming on Netflix UK but is due to leave the platform on September 30.
It’s also available to stream on Amazon Prime.