The Cabin in the Woods

On opening weekend, I was visited by my friend from the south - a friend who was once of the north but abandoned the harsh winters for the quizzically lack of snow that is Southern Ontario, for presumably bigger and better things. At the very least, he wins in a variety of categories, mostly commercial and not limited to just having better multiplexes. In North Bay, we struggled with flat theatres, boasting not one but two screens, and it did the job: I saw a lot of movies in those theatres, but the opening of a modern multiplex was a blessing. Although small (pitifully so) by today's standards, the seven screens featured surround sound and stadium seating, and all the other amenities that a modern theatre could bring at the time. But over time, the establishment shows its age.

I can get past the comparatively small screens, the throwback to the past arcade and the space motif. What I can't get past is the lack of proper, new releases. My friend texts me earlier in the week, not with news of his journey but a statement: we need to see LOCKOUT this weekend. It wasn't so much a question as an imperative that deserved only one word in response: definitely. I replied, knowing now that he was coming up for the visit and that we would indeed have a night to go to the movies, something we haven't done in ages - perhaps not since he moved. It was exciting, except that I had no idea what Lockout was, but it's irrelevant.

Voices would arrive on Friday in the early evening, where we would watch a little television, play a little Rock Band and prepare for the movie adventure. Keeping up with modern technology, I look up the showtimes on my iPhone. I scroll down, then back up. I check the date to ensure it's loaded properly, then make the announcement: Lockout isn't playing here. The news is not even jarring at this point - it's almost expected. I guess Lockout wasn't big enough to get released here, amongst our seven screens. I read out what's actually playing, which includes things like Titanic, Wrath of the Titans and The Three Stooges. We're not impressed, to say the least, but as I read out The Cabin the Woods, my friend marks it as a possibility. For me, I'm actually looking forward to this release, and understanding that my knowledge on the movie is limited, could be construed as misguided or uninformed. Perhaps I've only seen the trailer, which promises a standard horror film with a sci-fi twist. But more than likely, it's the Internet to blame. I frequent various blogs and news sites, some of which fall in love with certain writers/creators/directors and will do nothing but get excited about it. Typically I scan over those headlines but they have their effect: my desire to see the movie for whatever reason has been incepted into my brain.

I think my friend was weary of the movie, but I was ready to fully embrace it. I was not disappointed. The movie opens on two main characters in lab coats, working at a non-descrip high tech yet generic workplace, then quickly jumps to the main cast. And by main cast I mean your very stereotypical horror movie cast. Cabin then proceeds to tease us with another generic horror movie, set conveniently in the woods, then turns it upside down. What we get is some originality, and a take on the slasher-in-the-woods genre film that is altogether refreshing. It's also quite intelligent, I suppose, and appeases all my senses.

Before writing this, I was worried. How could I talk about the movie without giving away the ending, or for that matter, the general concept. I can't even drop references to how the movie combines some of my interests: horror, science fiction, monsters, myths and what have you. But this movie nailed it all on the head for me. Certainly, there were quite a few holes spread about, and my friend and I explored them a bit. And as we did, I could sense that we had already moved beyond them: the problems in no way hindered our enjoyment for the film. I'm not even sure that the talking professor behind us really disturbed the film that much: certainly, it was annoying, but just about unavoidable in today's movie-going audience.

People keep asking me if the movie is scary, and I shrug it off. For me, it's the possibility of scares that gets me going; and the actual medium is nothing near as "scary" as I propped it up to me. If anything, I was more interested in finding out the mystery and lore than anything else. Sold, right from the beginning.