Genre: Horror, thriller, mystery
Here’s a film that will leave you feeling frustrated and infuriated by the characters you’re supposed to be rooting for.
M Night Shyamalan’s latest release, Knock At The Cabin, is a confusing, two-hour experience that will plague you with more questions than answers long after the end credits have rolled.
Gay couple Eric and Andrew are enjoying a quiet getaway at a remote cabin with their daughter, Wen when they’re held hostage by four strangers who demand the family sacrifices one of their own to prevent an impending apocalypse. Dave Bautista stars in a leading role and does a good job as the quiet, calm leader of the group, Leonard.
The movie starts off slow, with Leonard consistently talking about the plan without explaining anything, leaving both hostages and viewers confused for much of the film. Noticeably missing is the plot twist arc Shyamalan has become famous for. Instead, the whole plot is revealed halfway through, causing a big shift from knowing nothing to knowing too much so that the rest of the story falls flat.
The decisions made by the couple as they fight for their lives are some of the most frustrating moves made in the film. For example, when Andrew finally manages to escape at one point, he doesn’t move nearly as quickly as he should, and when he gets his hands on a gun, instead of shooting, he aims at the perpetrators and says a few barely threatening words.
The ending is set up to be a tear-jerker but fails to resonate.
Shyamalan has made a 15-second cameo in all his movies, and finding it in this film felt like finding a fun little easter egg.
The camera work is excellent and Shyamalan shies away from showing too much gore.
Watching this film without prior information is probably the best way to enjoy it. Knock at the Cabin will be on streaming services soon.
