NZIFF Film Review: "The Cabin in the Woods" (2012).

"Five friends go to a cabin in the woods. Bad things happen." This is The Cabin in the Woods. This horror comedy film directed by Drew Goddard in his directorial debut, and written by Goddard and Joss Whedon. When five college friends arrive at a remote forest cabin for a little vacation, little do they expect the horrors that await them. One by one, the youths fall victim to backwoods zombies, but there is another factor at play. Two scientists are manipulating the ghoulish goings-on, but even as the body count rises, there is yet more at work than meets the eye.

Goddard and Whedon, having worked together previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003) and Angel (1999-2004), wrote the screenplay in three days for themselves after both came off failed film projects. They locked themselves up in a hotel room in order to challenge themselves, describing it as an attempt to "revitalize" the slasher film genre and as a critical satire on torture porn. Much of Goddard's inspiration for this movie came from his own upbringing in Los Alamos, New Mexico, a place filled with scientists and co-workers all going about their business and living seemingly routine and ordinary lives even though they were building nuclear weapons that could potentially destroy the entire world. Goddard and Whedon had considered several directors to helm the project. Goddard was actually hoping to direct himself, until Whedon also stated the desire to direct. Finally, Whedon allowed Goddard to do the honors while he produced the movie. Filming began in May 2009, with an estimated budget of $30 million. Filming took place in Vancouver, British Columbia. Whedon and Goddard created over 60 different types of monsters that were created specifically for the film. The special effects, monster costumes, special makeup, and prosthetic makeup for the movie were done by AFX Studio, owned by veteran horror filmactress Heather Langenkamp, her husband David LeRoy Anderson. Filming wrapped in May. The film however was shelved due to the studio's bankruptcy, leaving  Goddard and Whedon having little faith in it, until Lionsgate saw the finished film, loved it and picked it up for release.

The film stars Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford, and Amy Acker. The cast gave terrific performances that took the archetypes and cliches of the genre and completely turned them on its head.

The Cabin in the Woods serves as a subversive deconstruction of the genre that is sly, witty, and surprisingly effective as a horror film itself, even if it's a little too cheeky for some. This fiendishly clever, complicated satirical horror film deftly combines just the right amount of irony, self-reference, wry social commentary and black humor with chills and gore, giving the film an equal amount of thrills and laughs. It is a striking debut from a filmmaker who's got a very bright future ahead of him, where he will go on to much, much better things.

Simon says The Cabin in the Woods receives:

Also, see my NZIFF review for Mantrap.