Knock at the Cabin
Knock at the Cabin is screening in theaters at the time of writing. Rated R. Common Sense says 15.
STORY: A-
M. Night Shyamalan is back and better than ever. The cabin is the vacation rental for Eric (Hamilton’s Johnathan Groff), Andrew (Our Girl’s Ben Aldridge), and their daughter Wen (adorable but formidable newcomer, Kristen Cui). The knock comes from the four eerie strangers who arrive on a mission mired in lunacy: they must convince the family to sacrifice one of their own in order to prevent the apocalypse.
What could have been a straightforward and forgettable thriller transforms itself into a fascinating fable by chucking a bundle of deep and meaningful questions into a blender: a tablespoon about faith, two scoops of information silos, a teaspoon and a half of human connection, a dash of marginalization zest, and one healthy handful of hope. It’s a delicious thriller of a smoothie, full of enticing, thoughtful flavors you won’t soon forget.
PEOPLE: A-
The story’s success depends on the character of Leonard (Guardians of the Galaxy’s Dave Bautista). The movie withers and dies if the audience doesn’t believe that Leonard actually believes what he’s saying. More than one actor wouldn’t be able to pull off a convincing enough performance. But Bautista delicately balances two elements: 1.) Leonard’s unwavering faith in what he’s doing and 2.) the excruciating toll his faith’s consequences takes on him. That combination makes him believable. His character’s credibility holds up the entire film, even with the impressive array of performances surrounding him.
I’ve always enjoyed Dave Bautista’s work. I’ve always thought him a good actor, but I’ve never had faith that he would become a legitimately great actor. Maybe that’s because he’s never been given an opportunity to shine in a role like this. Whatever the reason, I have now seen. I now believe. Bautista can bring the goods. I hope more of these roles come his way.
FILM NERD STUFF: A
As always, writer/director M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Signs) dazzles us with his delicious camera work. Watch the way he spins the camera when Leonard drags a person out of the cabin. We catch quick glimpses of him through each window as he winds his way around the deck. We’re freaked out and wondering what’s going to happen next out there. The camera finally stops when it reaches Eric., who is tied up inside. The sudden switch in focus from outside to inside is fluid but jarring. Like Eric, we’re no longer able to see what’s happening outside. And we’re just as freaked out as he is about that fact.
Shyamalan is even more impressive when he’s standing still. The film contains a massive number of closeups. I stopped counting after #2,189, 371. When a director keeps going to the same stylistic choice over and over, it usually means something. Why does Shyamalan want us up close to these people. Why do people move close to people in real life? To whisper. To share a secret. To indicate importance. To intimidate. To be seen.
The close ups act as an alarm, alerting us whenever these desires appear within the characters. The proximity forces us to feel the way they feel. It makes the story simultaneously more relatable and more intense. Shyamalan again proves he’s a master at using the camera to help tell a story.
‘CAUSE I GOTTA HAVE FAITH (Elective Class): A
I thought a lot about Santa Claus during this movie. (No spoilers for the movie OR for Santa ahead, I promise).
This is a parable about faith. Its main conflict doesn’t revolve around violence. The real choice that Eric, Andrew, and Wen have to make isn’t which one of them should be sacrificed — it’s whether to believe the horrific story these four strangers are telling them.
Most of the story’s … let’s call them “hiccups” … would be easily avoided if everyone just takes a stroll outside the cabin and sees with their own eyes whether the apocalypse is happening or not (granted, this would result in a much, much worse movie). Both the families and the intruders must rely on stories that can’t be fact-checked. They need to make critical decisions without having access to all the information. Which sounds a lot like believing in Santa. Or God, for that matter.
How do we decide what we believe? How can we make good decisions when we’ve become so isolated from the rest of the world? How do we weigh the effects of all the things that have happened to us throughout our lives when we need to make a decision? What role do our hopes and dreams play in deciding where to place our faith? Knock at the Cabin will creep you out, and it’s a real good time. But it’s also a fascinating dissection of how we develop faith and how we decide where to place it.
FINAL COMMENTS:
- Knock, knock.
- Who’s there?
- Interrupting Shyamalan.
- (Sigh) Interrupting Shyama --
- I’m back baby! I’m back! And I’m bringing my homeboy Bautista along with me! Didn’t see that twist coming did you, suckers? Ha ha ha ha!