JUSTIN: This is A Gentlemen’s Duel between myself, Justin, and my cohort for this blog Nathan. Our topic today is the film Cabin in the Woods. I believe there is a ‘The’ before all that, but I’m too lazy to check. Now normally with A Gentlemen’s Duel there can be expected bloodshed. However, I don’t think that will be the case with this one. Nathan, want to start with your thoughts on the film?
NATHAN: Why don’t you field the beginning of this as you did see the movie first good sir!
JUSTIN: I am a huge fan of horror movies, and my roommates in college only further cemented that fact. The Cabin in the Woods was an enjoyable film to anyone who likes the tropes found in horror movies. The film isn’t a horror movie, it’s actually a really corey comedy. That is something that’s right up my alley.
That’s a messed up reflection.
AS ALWAYS IT IS SAFE TO ASSUME THAT THIS POST WILL BE VERY SPOILERIFIC. Spoilers may exist beyond the cut.
NATHAN: Very true. For the most part during the movie I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to be scared or just laughing my ass off. There were actually a few scenes where I did jump, but that was only because they were scenes from other horror movies that made me jump when I saw them in different movies.
JUSTIN: I’ll admit I jumped at moments too. Oddly enough at the moments where it was the fake out jump scares.
NATHAN: An interesting fact that I would like to point out is that Cabin in the Woods is actually Chris Hemsworth’s first movie, not Star Trek.
JUSTIN: Yeah, that’s cause the movie spent years in development hell. I was happy that Chris Hemsworth was in it. What did you think of the cast overall?
NATHAN: The casting choices for the girls where great, they fit the stereotypical female in a horror film characterization. Chris Hemsworth has built a great repoire as an actor and him getting this movie funded as a way to say thank you to Joss Wheadon getting his career started was great. Fran Kranz is an actor that Joss has used before in the short lived TV show Dollhouse so I was thrilled to see him in another of Joss’ shows. I liked the actor who played Holden but he just seemed an unnecessary extra character.
Thor can help us!
JUSTIN: I honestly found the horror cliche characters to be dull, whenever it got to them in the Cabin I didn’t give two craps about them. To me, the movie was the two guys sitting in the control room. I mean, all the actors were talented in this but I just didn’t care when we saw them.
NATHAN: I enjoyed the characters of Marty and Dana but other then that I’ll have to agree that the other characters were dull and pretty useless. The two guys in the control room were great though, all the comedy that they brought to the movie was a welcome additon. My favourite moments were the times when the two of them where just sitting there looking at the screen and their facial expressions where spectacular.
JUSTIN: Oh definitely, they had perfect ‘face’ acting so to speak. As for the plot I found it to be fun, camp and wonderfully Lovecraftian. I predicted it fairly early on, but it doesn’t seem like one of those movies that want to keep you guessing. It laid out all its cards on the table right away and just let the audience enjoys its campy goodness. However, after people started getting killed up it started to just draaaaaaag on to me. I loved everything up to the sex scene and then didn’t get interested again until about the final act of the film. But with that, this movie hit all the horror movie marks wonderfully. So this is just a general ‘film pacing’ complaint as opposed to me ripping on the film. Rather I just wish I didn’t find the middle section dull as wood.
NATHAN: See I enjoy stupidly placed gore and such, I enjoyed the middle of the movie just seeing all of those typical horror movie bits thrilled me. The pacing didn’t bother me at all to be completely honest. The music is something I would love to touch on.
JUSTIN: Go for it!
Justin’s favourite part of the movie.
NATHAN: It wasn’t anything spectacular like the Inception or the Clash of the Titans soundtracks but it set the scenes perfectly every time it came on. It was really well composed and really all it did was set the proper mood, it didn’t really inhance the movie persay but it did do something for it.
JUSTIN: I wish I remembered the music enough to comment on it… but then again I think that kinda speaks about the music enough to me… Without giving anything away, what did you think of the ending? All the horror cliches popping up and then all the way to the finale?
NATHAN: See I never understand why you say that; music should be memorable, that’s the point of music to me. But that may also have something to do with my background in music. I thought it was really amusing, that really all I can say about it. That said, I now understand why Joss Wheadon and Drew Goddard are talking about a possible sequel
JUSTIN: Exactly. Music SHOULD be memorable, which is why to me the music wasn’t too good, cause I forgot about it. And they’re talking about a sequel?
NATHAN: Yes, they said something in an interview with EP Daily about a possible sequel.
JUSTIN: That is the dumbest thing in the world.
NATHAN: So with that, is there anything else you think we should discuss?
JUSTIN: I don’t think there is, we hit some points, and that’s what matters, yes?
NATHAN: I would have to agree!
The classic injured girl crawling away while slowly dying bit.
JUSTIN: So, Nathan, what is your overall opinion of The Cabin the Woods along with your rating for it?
NATHAN: Pros: It was great seeing what everyone thinks they know about horror films and then turning it upside down and playing with everyones minds. The acting was great and the preformances were spectacular but some of the characters were just too…unimportant I guess. That leads to my cons: The unimportant/unmemorable characters where just too focused on, and the music, as we said earlier, wasn’t all that memorable. So with that I’m gonna give it a 4 out of 5. I love Joss Wheadon and I think this is another great addition to his resume.
JUSTIN: Pros: A unique film, which is funny because it sits itself deeply in the cliche. The two male actors in the control room are perfect, I couldn’t have imagined it any better. It was very funny!
Cons: Dull middle section, useless characters, and the music was blergh.
Score: 3.5/5
So with that it looks like we give The Cabin in the Woods a 7.5/10.
NATHAN: Not a terrible score over all. I was toying with a 3.5 myself so I see where you are coming from completely. Definitely check out this movie if you like all the classic horror tropes and if you just want to laugh your ass off.
The Ubiquitous Gentlemen 