Showing @ Cameo Cinema, Edinburgh until Thu 19 Apr
Joss Whedon, Drew Goddard / USA / 2011 / 95 min
Imagine a world in which you can, and will, encounter your worst nightmares. You’ve chosen them, you’ve sought them out. Only you don’t know it until it’s too late. Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly) and Drew Goddard (Cloverfield) have created a truly unique play on horror movie conventions in The Cabin in the Woods.
The trailer has already divulged more than necessary, however, the story follows five college stereotypes (The Whore, The Athlete, The Fool, The Academic and The Virgin) as they go on a trip to a relative’s cabin… in the woods. When they discover a cellar full of old artefacts, they investigate, which, as one can imagine, holds dire consequences.
Whedon is no stranger to satirising the horror genre, and The Cabin in the Woods is no exception. Pushing regular conventions aside, Whedon and Goddard have almost created a horror movie sub-genre. With several clichés and plenty of comedic relief from Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford, this is no ordinary horror film. 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.