Director: Drew Goddard.
Writers: Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard.
Cast: Fran Kranz, Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Jesse Williams, Kirsten Connolly, and Anna Hutchison.
Joss Whedon has rightly earned the title of being the Joseph Campbell of “horror” films with Cabin in the Woods. With Drew Goddard on board as co-writer, they have crafted a new world that plays with the very first images this film starts with: ancient civilizations conducting ritual sacrifices.
But how many viewers will even take care about the first few frames? There is more of a mystery with the introduction of the two middle-aged men Sitterson (Richard Jenkins) and Hadley (Bradley Whitford) chatting away before the title screen splashes on top.
To say too much of the story will spoil the surprises this film makes. All audiences need to know about this movie is that it also involves five college co-eds out to simply have some weekend fun. Many viewers can predict the outcome since this movie is advertised as a horror film. But with a poster of a house that looks like it can be spun around like a Rubik’s cube, these kids will be in for more than taking part of a story that pays homage to the Canadian trilogy, The Cube. And nor is it a variation of another chiller, Hellraiser, where Cenobites are summoned by the Lemarchand’s box. These writers developed an ode to horror films that will be remembered.
The protagonists are very easily recognizable archetypes. They are staples to every horror movie out there. There is the leader cum jock, Curt (Chris Hemsworth), his over-sexed girlfriend Jules (Anna Hutchison), their dainty pal Dana (Kirsten Connolly), and scholarly Holden (Jesse Williams). But when their stoner friend Marty (Fran Kranz) enters the scene, the pacing of this film changes. This movie turns into an episode of “Scooby Doo, Where Are You!” with the laugh track being provided by the audience.
While Norville “Shaggy” Rogers has never been depicted in a realistic sense, Kranz does a far better job at being a hippy than Matthew Lillard in the live-action movies. He steals the show and without him, this movie would have been a completely different product.
This horror-mystery turns into a game of “Clue” in trying to figure out how these kids are going to survive the night. And in where this film goes is territory where no other horror film has gone before, and that’s to cement a fact that creative minds can re-invent the wheel by going meta. But the product no longer becomes a portrayal of good old-fashioned Gothic horror. Also, well-versed folklorists can easily nitpick at certain details: Japanese ghosts do not have feet!
This product at least addresses some theory as to why some people enjoy going to see horror movies. People like to place bets on who will get offed and who will survive. Others may prefer to figure out what the truth behind the curtain is about. Much like “Buffy: Vampire Slayer”, the Scoobies (or Scooby Gang) from the Buffyverse often had to find new ways to combat evil.
This film is certainly enjoyable to watch with a large group of like-minded fans. Whedon certainly entertains with well-crafted visions. And avid followers of his works will not have to wait long for the Avengers to assemble!
Score: 3.5 out of 5.
