Bullet Points: Knock at the Cabin

Before you read this, know that I know it’s not an action film. M. Night isn’t the type to explode the screen with action sequences and even when he does have a scene that fits the bill, it’s short and to the point. He’s a man who tells stories, and while that doesn’t exactly always mesh with the action flicks we review on this site, it’s something that toes that line sometimes where suspense/thriller and action meet. It’s also a flick that I’ve been meaning to see…..

Synopsis: While vacationing, a girl and her parents are taken hostage by armed strangers who demand that the family make a choice to avert the apocalypse.

• The Family: A family comprising of two attractive dads and a cute little adopted girl are staying at a secluded cabin in the woods. Normally that would be the story for a slasher movie or a flick about a killer werewolf but this one is a touch different. The relationship between the family is central to the storyline.
• The Horsemen: Early in the film we meet Dave Bautista’s Leonard. He walks straight up to little Wen and just starts being a weird guy in a forest in the middle of nowhere. He seems nice enough and it feels like he legitimately doesn’t want to be there doing what they’re about to be doing but that isn’t enough. He and his comrades are there for a very specific purpose and their makeshift weapons aren’t making them any more inviting.

• The Sacrifice: As I mentioned, the four strangers show up at the door with their wild-looking weapons and bust in the door and windows. The Dads attempt to fight back but to no avail. In the process, one of them is concussed and soon they find themselves tied to chairs in the middle of the room. As you might guess, the strangers aren’t knocking for a spoonful of sugar, but this is where the movie really excels. I’ve never been a big fan of Dave Bautista, both inside and outside of the ring. He was never much of an in-ring performer and his acting hasn’t exactly impressed me. Here, though, is a much a different story. He carries much of the load for the strangers as they enter and attempt to talk their way into both the house and the psyches of the family members.
• No other way: As the time passes and the family refuses (duh) to kill one another, the strangers begin offing themselves in off-putting ways. It’s not something that anyone wants to watch but they are doing it as some sort of vision penance and it’s certainly adding to the idea that they totally believe what they’re saying.

• The Human Race suffers: Humanity has suffered enough over the years but this one is on a global level. Just as the strangers have said, flood waters are rising on the coastlines and the sky is falling in the form of crashing airplanes. Could it be that the strangers were actually right about something and not just psychotic people? We see the news pieces just as the family members are watching them and you can tell that they appear to be making an impact.
• The End: As the movie edges closer to a climax, I was just waiting for one of those classic M. Night twists that would make me scream with joy. For me, it just didn’t happen. The ending kind of comes and goes without a big deal and I never got the feeling that anything was going to happen other than what happened. It sounds like the ending of the novel that it was based on was a bit different. The important thing is that movies like this are still being made and that directors like M. Night can still produce something pretty gnarly when they get a chance.

The Verdict: Knock at the Cabin most definitely isn’t an action movie. I probably shouldn’t even be reviewing the film but I’ve seen the good reviews and I’m finding it more and more difficult to watch a movie these days so this is what you get. While not an action film, though, it’s full of the type of tension and suspense that I’m used to. It’s also the type of stuff that we’re all used to seeing in a really good M. Night film. Where the film succeeds is in humanizing the characters through flashback sequences and giving us frame of reference for why they act they way they act. It’s not the type of film that leads to questions and second viewings because I found it much more straight forward than some of his other films, but it’s still a return to form for the man. I would highly recommend the film to those who enjoy watching one of the last remaining big-time storytellers getting his chance to do his thing.