Knock at the Cabin

 

7/10

In this new M. Night Shyamalyan thriller based on the book The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul G. Tremblay, husbands Andrew (played by Ben Aldridge) and Eric (Jonathan Groff) and their daughter Wen (Kristin Cui) are held hostage at a cabin they're staying at by a quartet of people (Dave Bautista, Harry Potter's Rupert Grint, Nikki Amuka-Bird, and Abby Quinn). They want the family to decide which one of them will be sacrificed, otherwise they think the entire world will end.

This is a competently directed and scripted film. When things get shocking, they're appropriately shocking. There's are the traditional moments of Shyamalyan character dialogue that doesn't sound natural, but there are also the traditional lines that are also really well written (the talk-heavy opening does feel a little forced, but the movie picks up after the initial few minutes). Again, the director has a very distinctive and very cinematic style to his film. There are a couple of close-ups that didn't work, but overall this is a nice looking film.

The movie is well executed, but is predictable. (It'll probably help if you don't watch the trailers). This isn't one of Shyamalyan's movies that have a twist. You can see where most plot points are and the pacing isn't too slow but isn't too fast either, and I wanted them to hurry things up sometimes. There's nothing wrong with the script, but there's nothing that compels you to rewatch, either. In fairness, I may not be inclined to return to this, because as you probably guessed by the story, this is a pretty dark work to have to sit through. 

Best part of this is the performances by the actors playing the four interlopers, who each have a distinct personality and are dedicated to their mission, but don't like it at all. The actors are able to make even the weaker dialogue work. Bautista is known for the fact that he wants to be an actor's actor and not just an action star, (though he's also realistic about the work he'll usually get based on his build). This is the best performance I've seen him give. He's very unsettling in the way he's both eloquent but menacing in his devotion to his beliefs. I also hope this is a launching point for the careers of Quinn and Amuka-Bird who both deliver, especially the latter. Cui is a very gifted actress for her young age, but that's the problem. Her delivery is too adultish in this, she doesn't feel like a regular kid.

Not particularly recommended or not recommended. Again, this is a well made, quality acted film but might bore people with its predictability. If you don't like when films get unpleasant, this definitely won't be for you.