The Cabin In The Woods (2012) Can't Even Begin To Tell You

You ever have this happen?  A friend says, "Hey, let's go to this little party at this place I know."  You agree.  Sounds like it might be fun, little party with some low-key people who are wonderful hosts.  Maybe a game of Pictionary. You get there, and it's all-out, record-breaking, lampshade-wearing, fireball-spitting mayhem and you look at your friend and laugh out over the blaring Motorhead, "OH MY GOD WHAT IS HAPPENING?"  And you're loving every minute of it.

That party is The Cabin In The Woods.

Written by Drew Goddard and producer Joss Whedon, and directed by Goddard, is this film that takes a genre and its modern tropes, and turns it on its ear.  Not out of spite, mind you, but out of respect.  When you see it, and you step back and take a look at the big picture - and I mean really step back so you can consider everything - you can easily see what it's really about.  And it is good.

I honestly can't even get too far into the plot without giving anything away.  Seriously.  It's a wild, wacky story.  I can tell you this much:  five college kids head to the titular cabin in the woods for a weekend of revelry.  You've got your sweet smart girl (Kristen Connelly), your smart guy (Jesse Williams), your jock (Chris Hemsworth of Thor), your party girl (Anna Hutchinson), and your stoner (Fran Kranz).  You know, the "usual" tropes.  Or are they?  Things get weird, but in many, many more ways than one.  To tell you any more than that would be spoiling it, and the movie's still too fresh.  You need to discover its secrets on your own.

While the film centers on the horror genre, there are plenty of laughs to go around.  Kranz as the perpetually high Marty gets the lion's share of those moments, but there are definitely others.  And wow, that third act is incredibly, utterly insane.  So much wonderful mayhem.

Like that party you went to.

As of this writing, The Cabin In The Woods is playing in theaters everywhere, having just opened a few days ago.  It's not what you might think.  It's even more fun.  There's a bit of a message if you know where to look but you might be having too much of a blast watching what's happening on the screen.