By BEN DAUBER
Movie Reviewer
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I have never been this shocked by a movie ever. I mean, after ‘Inception’ my mind was slightly warped and ‘Memento raised my eyebrows, but I was thoroughly shocked after this one.

I partially attribute my shock to the fact that I didn’t read any reviews before I saw it, (in attempt to remain at least a tiny bit unbiased) but even so ‘The Cabin in the Woods’ is a unique hybridization of film canon that deserves your attention.

A group of college-aged kids decides to spend a weekend away from the world at a isolated log cabin somewhere in Appalachia. As soon as they arrive you understand that they are not meant to survive.

I would describe it categorically as a cross between horror, suspense, satirical comedy and action. It has each ot these elements in balance throughout the film and the end product is unique to say the least.

The title, the previews, and even the film posters all seem to point to one thing: cheesy commercial horror flick, the kind of movie that features blood and boobs in equal proportion without any substance to justify it. However this first-glance impression of the film could not be more incomplete.

I wouldn’t say the plot has a twist but rather it is just wonderfully perverse right from the beginning. You spend as much time trying to figure out what the hell is going on as you do rooting for the main characters.

Without divulging anything too juicy, I’ll try and lay it out for you.

The film is experienced through two main perspectives: the victims, and the coordinated and exceptionally cast team of professionals that are tasked with killing the victims. Why they are doing and the story that lies behind this cabin are what really make the film tick.

The character actors cast in this film are spot on. Without any big names (except for an extremely brief cameo from the burnt out Sigourney Weaver), Director Drew Goddard crafted a suspenseful and unique masterpiece that can satisfy an incredibly diverse audience.

Although not a household name, Goddard has made quite a career for himself because of his very unique and expressive style of film making. Goddard was the directer of TV suspense phenomenon ‘Lost’ as well as the headache inducing ‘Cloverfield.’ I mean, say what you want about ‘Cloverfield,’ but it still exhibited some fresh perspective, and it showed Goddard had enough sack to bend the rules.

If you like ‘Shaun of the Dead,’ ‘Saw’ and its various film cousins, ‘Underworld,’ or a film that mimics the suspense of a film like ‘Inception’ (minus the A-list actors), ‘The Cabin in the Woods’ is a film you would enjoy.

I would give this one a solid A. It earned an 8.0 on the IMDB and a shocking 92% (which is still rising) on RottenTomatoes. If you don’t listen to me, listen to them.

Hollywood has gotten stuck in such an incredibly repetitive and commercialized vein of film0making that it makes me sick. ‘The Cabin in the Woods’ breaks the mold and delivers a bit of everything, leaving the audience with only this thought, “I don’t know what in the name of sweet cheeba just happened to me, but I liked it… a lot.”