Imagine your typical horror film. Cocky jock. Dumb blonde. Nerdy virgin. These stereotypes have been apparent in horror films for decades, and are still played out in many current movies. The roles they typically fill fuel the story behind The Cabin in the Woods, which is one of the most clever and mind-bending horror films ever written. Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon wrote this film with one goal in mind: to play on the typical character types and then turn them around in a very creative way to absolutely shatter your expectations. The aspect that many moviegoers did not understand about this film was that it is very self-aware of being a scary movie, which was a simple plot device that helped Goddard and Whedon create my favorite horror movie of all time.
The part of this film that stands out the most is the story. While the performances and editing were decent, the writing is what makes this film the gem that it is. This film utilizes two different plots at the same time to make for a fun and engaging story. It is arguable which plot is considered the main plot, but that is what makes the movie so good. The first plot followed the office workers running the show behind the scenes and the second plot followed the five stereotypical college kids going to a secluded cabin in the woods. While these stories were equally interesting, the way that they worked together to form the "twist" of the film was so entertaining. There is not much for me to say in terms of what to expect from this film, besides that it is one of the most creative and ingenious films ever written. You truly have to experience it yourself in order to see how much of a masterpiece in horror parody this film is. My only problem with the film was that there was a bit of a lack of representation. There was only one person of color in the film, and ironically, he was not the first one to die. This subverted the usual stereotype which was a clever move on their part, but once again, just proves that this entire film is extremely clever.
There is nothing about this film that I would change, to be quite honest. The entire premise is completely original and skillfully executed, which was surprising given that it was produced and written by Joss Whedon. While Whedon seems to be known today for his misogynistic views and unnecessary sexualization of women (i.e. Justice League, Age of Ultron), there seems to be none of that influence in this film, which was earlier in his career than those previously mentioned. Whedon did a great job handling the characters in this movie and I'm glad about that. The other thing that worked very well for this film was its use of humor and irony. The scene towards the end when all of the nightmare monsters was something out of CGI heaven, and while it may be excessive to some people, I think it was the greatest scene of the film. Along with that scene, there was a shot where one of the office workers (who always voted for the Merman) was mauled by the Merman. This use of irony was apparent throughout the entire movie and was utilized very well. The final thing that was awesome about this film was the cameo in the end. Sigourney Weaver plays the constantly-referenced "Director" in the film and it was a pleasant surprise role for her.
The Cabin in the Woods is a fun and exciting horror film which is perfect for any moviegoer that is tired of seeing the same old stereotypes. This film is engaging, clever, and one of the best ever written in the horror genre. While there was talk of a sequel for some time, it doesn't make sense, given that the literal hand of God reaches from the ground and destroys the Earth in the last shot of the film. As much as I would love a sequel, I am very happy with the standalone film that it is. This movie is truly one-of-a-kind, and I would definitely recommend it.
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