A One Mann’s Movies review of “Knock at the Cabin” (2023).
I well remember an argument at a works Christmas party many years ago. The (ludicrous) proposition was that if you could save everyone else in the world at the cost of sacrificing your child, would you do it? The two combatents on each side of this drunken discussion became very heated on the topic! Ludicrous it may be, but this is (almost) the proposition at the heart of the new M. Night Shyalaman film, “Knock at the Cabin”.
A Shyamalan film is a bit like shoving a few bullets in a revolver, spinning the chamber, pointing it at your head and pulling the trigger. He’s produced some really great films (“The Sixth Sense” being the obvious highlight); some good films (“Split“); and some downright stinkers (like his last film “Old“). It has to be said that recently there has tended to be more than 3 bullets in the chamber. Thus, it comes as a pleasant surprise that “Knock at the Cabin” bucks the recent trend. It’s watchable, and gets you thinking.
Bob the Movie Man Rating(s):
Plot Summary:
Eric (Jonathan Groff – the original King George in “Hamilton”!), Andrew (Ben Aldridge) and their adopted daughter Wen (Kristen Cui) are a loving family staying in a remote cabin in the woods. Their solitude is rudely disrupted when four armed strangers turn up and demand entry to their cabin. Although claiming to be four perfectly normal members of society, from different parts of the US, the four have an alarming proposition – a proposition that they claim will destroy the world if not carried out.
Certification:
UK: 15; US: R. (From the BBFC: “Strong threat, violence, language, suicide”).
Talent:
Starring: Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, Kristen Cui, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Abby Quinn, Rupert Grint.
Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan.
Written by: M. Night Shyamalan, Steve Desmond & Michael Sherman. (Based on the book “The Cabin at the End of the World” by Paul Tremblay).
Twitter Handle: #KnockAtThe Cabin.
Homophobes or saviours on a mission? From left, Abby Quinn, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Dave Bautista and Rupert Grint. (Source: Universal Pictures).
“Knock at the Cabin” Review:
Positives:
- The set-up of the movie is really great, with Leonard (Dave Bautista) wandering out of the woods and trying to befriend young Wen (Kristen Cui). (Wen says she is “not allowed to talk to strangers” but then does just that: not a great advert for ‘Stranger Danger’…. or maybe, actually, it is!). If you’ve avoided the trailers and don’t know where the film is going to take you (advisable), then this first half hour will, I’m sure, intrigue you.
- The film takes rather a turn to the absurd with the first ‘death’, but then sets up a tense ‘what is real and what is delusion’ vibe that keeps your interest. The whole think reminded me of one of those cruel but elaborate hoaxes you sometimes see on Tik Tok where the TV is rigged to show terrible things going on in the world that terrorises the poor hapless victim. What is real here and what is not?
- The acting is all of a good standard, particularly that of Nikki Amuka-Bird, who always impresses. And what a joy to see Rupert Grint on the big screen again, playing the roughneck gas fitter Redmond. Looking back on IMDB, he was last seen in a feature film in 2015. Somebody give the man more film work to do… he was very good!
- The explanation as to why there are the four visitors (and no fewer and no more) is a fun “Ah!” moment (although looking on wiki, other than “food merchant”, I can’t see any rationale for linking the other ‘professions’ to the theory!)
Negatives:
- No spoilers here, but after the final ‘action’ sequence the film could have gone in one of two directions: a happy/clappy Hollywood ending or a much darker and bleaker ending. I’m not sure what the book did, but I think the writers rather bottled it in choosing option 1. The film would have got a lot more of my respect if it had ended differently.
- This is UTTERLY bizarre, but for the scenes shot inside the cabin the exterior of the woods, seen through the open doors, are most obviously simple painted backdrops (and not very well done ones either). At one point (to reflect the opportunity of escape) the camera zooms into the open doorway to reveal the backdrop in all its tacky glory! This is bonkers! They only had to stick some green screen behind the doors and then add in some of the woods footage that they must have had from their location shoot! It really took me out of the movie, and once noticed I couldn’t stop looking for it.
Shyamalan cameo
Shyamalan is turning into a modern day Alfred Hitchcock my making random cameos in each of his films. In this one, he is an infomercial star trying to sell us an air-fryer.
Monkey?
There is no video monkey per se, either mid-title or post-title, but at the end of the movie there is an ‘audio monkey’ of sorts. But it’s honestly not worth staying for unless you want to appreiate Herdís Stefánsdóttir’s impressive end-titles music (which I did).
Summary Thoughts on “Knock at the Cabin”
It’s OK, and intriguing in places. And it kept me entertained for its (very sensible) 100 minute running time. So it’s better Shyamalan, but not classic Shyamalan.
[fblike]
Trailer for “Knock at the Cabin”:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wiBHEACNHs . This trailer is better and less spoilerish than one of the other trailers I’ve seen.
[…] Source link […]