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Cabin in the Woods, The (15)

Horror, Thriller

Five friends go for a break at a remote cabin in the woods, where they get more than they bargained for. Together, they must discover the truth behind the cabin in the woods.


The critical consensus

Geeks, newbies, it won’t matter – Cabin has something in its box of tricks to scare everyone.

****(*)James Mottram, The List, 19/03/2012

Despite pumping out red herrings and twists, you don’t experience much in the way of suspense, shocks or smart, satisfying kicks. At best, The Cabin In The Woods is a horror halfway house.

***(*)(*)Siobhan Synnot, The Scotsman, 08/04/2012

Part Evil Dead, part The Truman Show, part Arthur Christmas... For horror hounds who love a larf, and those of us who always wondered exactly what that dry-ice stuff that rises out of the forest-floor moss is. A fun ride — but not quite a Scream.

***(*)(*)Dan Jolin, Empire Online, 09/04/2012

A super-entertaining, super-slick love/hate letter to horror with a final 20 minutes that’s stunningly bonkers.

****(*)Jamie Graham, Total Film, 09/04/2012

It’s a love letter to horror made by talented fans who are clearly head-over-heels.

****(*)Alistair Harkness, The Scotsman, 12/04/2012

Where Goddard joins the rest of the fright-night directors is in not being able to make his winning ideas last until the end credits roll. His movie goes too fast, too soon so that by the two-thirds point exhaustion has set in.

***(*)(*)Alison Rowat, The Herald, 12/04/2012

Unlike Scream, which managed to spoof and terrify and had a mystery to solve (who is the killer?) The Cabin In The Woods only spoofs.

***(*)(*)Henry Fitzherbert, Daily Express, 12/04/2012

Every emotion is stirred through the insane series of events which spin out of control through phantasmagorical monsters, a sharp script, bewildering plot and a killer ending. The Cabin in the Woods absolutely claws its way into my top five horror films and I think it may lurk there a while.

Rebecca Paul, Across the Arts, 12/04/2012

The Cabin in the Woods is a clever take on the horror genre, with a seismically satisfying plot twist.

****(*)Robbie Collin, The Telegraph, 12/04/2012

The Cabin in the Woods is a shrewd, ingenious look the programmatic elements of the genre, a satire that is also a lenient celebration, and it could wind up being a set text in any MA course in horror. But however smart and sophisticated this film is, it may disappoint those who, in their hearts, would still like to be genuinely scared.

***(*)(*)Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian, 12/04/2012

Clever meta-horror, with plenty of hyuks to match the yuks.

****(*)Anton Bitel, Little White Lies, 12/04/2012

Cabin is not a reboot or a satire or an attack--it's the odd giggle.

**(*)(*)(*)Antonia Quirke, Financial Times, 12/04/2012

I’ve only five stars to award, but it deserves an extra one for being about 30 IQ points brighter than it needed to be. Of how many Hollywood movies can you say that?

*****Chris Tookey, Daily Mail, 13/04/2012

Whedon and Goddard are pretty good at making us chortle, less so at maintaining a narrative grip.

***(*)(*)Anthony Quinn, The Independent, 13/04/2012

Not an effective horror film in itself, despite some outrageous blood-letting in the third act, but there's plenty for non-genre fans to enjoy and the hardened fright aficionado will have a scream with its reference points.

****(*)Chris Fyvie, The Skinny, 12/04/2012

The Cabin In The Woods looks set to be the horror of the year.

David Edwards, Daily Record, 13/04/2012

This film doesn't just subvert its genre, it blows it apart, with wit, ingenuity and a cheery gusto that eventually leaves the viewer in loose-jawed astonishment.

Demetrios Matheou, Sunday Herald, 15/04/2012

A forceful, funny, frightening and ingenious horror flick.

Philip French, The Observer, 15/04/2012

The Cabin in the Woods does indeed make you think again, and again, but it's also a highly efficient thrill machine.

****(*)Jonathan Romney, The Independent on Sunday, 15/04/2012

Joss Whedon's high-concept chiller is a one-off curiosity that promises much but delivers little scariness, wit or insight.

David Cox, The Guardian, 16/04/2012

Without wishing to give too much away, this film is similar in temperament and intelligence to the Scream movies, and will appeal to both horror novices and experts alike.

****(*)Kat Folan, TV Bomb, 17/04/2012

This film is not a game changer, and it should not be treated as such. It’s an average horror flick with good intentions, but hollow results.

*(*)(*)(*)(*)Amy Taylor, TV Bomb, 17/04/2012


Features about Cabin in the Woods, The (15)

The real horror of filming scary stories.

Alison Rowat, The Herald, 05/04/2012

Mr Beaks and Drew Goddard talk Cabin in the Woods, Bradle Whitford and Jack Burton.

Aint It Cool News, 09/04/2012

The Cabin in the Woods shows horror speaks an international language

Phil Hoad, The Guardian, 10/04/2012

Cabin in the Woods director Drew Goddard goes in-depth about the secrets of the movie with Quint! Beware heavy spoilers!

Quint, AintItCoolNews.com, 19/04/2012

Cabin in the Woods, The (15)

Where and when?

General release. Check local listings for show times.

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