I read a review of Cabin In The Woods that compared it unfavourably to Scream. Far be it from me to criticise a fellow reviewer, especially a professional getting paid for his opinions, but... bollocks. While both films attack the horror genre with a postmodern, deconstructionist pickaxe, Scream largely tells its audience what it's up to... whereas Cabin In The Woods almost always shows. And we all know which is better from a storytelling perspective, especially in a visual medium like cinema.
I've also seen CITW mentioned in the same breath as Jeepers Creepers for the way it willfully wrongfoots its viewers. Again, that's a totally spurious comparison. While Jeepers Creepers sets off in one direction, then u-turns with no warning into a far less entertaining cul de sac, Cabin In The Woods places its cards on the table from the opening scene. Not all those cards are turned face up, but at no point does it attempt to cheat us like Jeepers did.
Instead, what Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon deliver here is not just the most original and entertaining horror movie in years... but one of the most original and entertaining movies full stop. It's a film with the guts and balls to attempt to explain and justify every ridiculous and crappy horror flick you've ever seen. Genre fans with a sense of humour will lap it up. Those who don't appreciate Whedon's irreverent brand of snarky humour and playful iconoclasm can go watch Battleship instead.
Oh, and did I mention the cast? Beyond the five subverted teen cliches led by Chris 'Thor' Hemsworth and the doe-eyed Willow-alike Kristen Connolly, the cream of the Whedon alumni is present in full force (notably Amy Acker from Angel, Fran Kranz from Dollshouse and Tom Lenk from Buffy). But it's Bradley Whitford and Richard Jenkins who steal this movie, and not just for fans of The West Wing or Six Feet Under. We really didn't need the stunt-casting cameo at the end... but I can forgive the script's one mis-step into clunky exposition because by then I'd already had so much fun I was guaranteed to go home with a huge grin.
Now even if The Avengers proves a disappointment, Joss Whedon has still delivered one of my favourite movies of the year. More power to him.
