Knock at the Cabin is a 2023 psychological thriller-apocalypse film by Universal Pictures. Directed by M. Night Shyamalan and starring Dave Bautista, Ben Aldridge, Jonathan Groff, and Kristen Cui. The film centers around a same sex couple and their daughter on a vacation in a cabin in the woods where they are confronted by 4 strangers and asked to make the ultimate sacrifice of one of their own in an attempt to save the world from the impending apocalypse. The film is adapted from a novel by Paul Tremblay titled ‘The Cabin at the End of the World’ and although I haven’t read the book, I’ve heard the film stays pretty true to it, besides the ending being changed almost entirely. The couple’s dynamic was interesting and believable and the cutaway scenes showing more into their love and growth together made you care for them deeper than you otherwise would have. Eric (Groff) was the more empathetic one and the one to believe the strangers claims first and feel worry, while Andrew (Aldridge) was more cynical towards the world for the way him and Eric have been treated and all the tribulations that they have faced as a homosexual couple. He’s willing to let the world burn as long as he can keep his love alive.
The acting in this movie was really well done all around, there wasn’t a slouch in the group. I think my favorite performances coming from Kristen Cui who played little Wen because she pulled all the empathy and raw emotion from you and I found myself really feeling sorry for her throughout, she was cute as a button. Dave Bautista who played Leonard was the true show stealer for me though, I love that big man anyways (imagine that as a major pro wrestling fan) but that’s not the only reason. I also feel like Bautista is truly the best wrestler turned actor maybe ever, he constantly challenges himself with roles in all sorts of genres and plays characters of all types even though he could easily typecast himself as a hulking action star, he doesn’t do that, and I for one truly appreciate that. Leonard did a good job at being a sweet and understanding monster of a man with the family, especially Wen, but still managed to be scary and intimidating simply based on the matter at hands and his reason for showing up at their cabin door in the first place. Without giving too much away I will say movies like this one terrify me in a whole different way. I watch TONS of horror and can watch a slasher film, supernatural movie, backwoods cannibal family story, you name it, and I can just have a happy, leisurely time no problem. Yet, the second that you show me a fake news report with a massive tsunami coming towards a crowded beach or footage of the sky and everything in it falling to Earth in a populous city then my skin will crawl, just visually terrifying.
Now, I will say to me personally, this movie was a bit straightforward. Not sure if that’s just because I was well aware that this was an M. Night Shyamalan film, so I was expecting a big and wacky twist or if this movie really did just feel too handed to you. The acting was very well done, the cinematography was great, it just felt like it was missing something more to the story overall. I don’t want to use the word boring but in certain ways, it kind of was honestly. Most of the movie took place inside of a room in the cabin and not much crazy happened besides a few cutaway scenes to breaking news updates. It isn’t always a bad thing to have most of your film take place inside a single room when the story calls for it, but with the already spoon-fed script and the overall story itself lacking a bit more, it worked more in favor to this film’s detriment. This movie is still worthwhile to check out at least once if not for the acting alone, it also does keep you intrigued at least throughout and it’s one you can show the whole family and not have to feel worried about. It’s tense and visually spooky at times, but the violence is mainly cut away from and there isn’t too much crazy taking place throughout the actual experience in the cabin outside of that. I’m never going to tell anyone not to watch a movie (minus a few exceptions) because we all have a different outlook on things and this is no different. I just like to give my thoughts and put it out there for those interested. I’m not sure if I will necessarily watch this again anytime soon and I won’t be raving about it to anyone, but I’m not upset I watched it, so at least there’s that.
