"The Cabin in the Woods” was an interesting movie, incomparable to any other I have previously watched. A combination of humor, jumpy scenes and gore made this one of the best movies I have watched this year.

The plot of the film involves five friends, Dana, Curt, Jules, Marty and Holden, who use their break to visit a remote cabin in the woods where they get more than they bargained for. Together, the group of friends must work together to survive and discover the truth about the cabin in the woods.

On the way to the cabin, they stop at an old abandon gas station in an attempt to purchase some gas. A creepy, rude man appears and foreshadows the cabin. Yet the group still goes. I never understand this part of horror movies, I always find myself thinking that I would immediately turn around still the characters always continue. I feel like horror movies would be a greater scare if the viewer could relate more to the characters or situations. 

Once they go through a small tunnel, a bird flies the same direction next to the cave and smashes into a honeycomb-like invisible force field. At this moment the movie progressively shifts from its happy vacation mood, to the horror waiting to be unleashed. A painting of weird beasts killing an animal occupied a wall in Holden’s room. He quickly decides it is too creepy and removes it only to find himself gazing through a one way mirror into the room next door. 

My first predication arose at this point. I just knew that someone was going to be killed and Holden would be forced to watch it helplessly. One of my favorite parts about horror movies is predicting how people will be killed. Once they settled into the house and spent the remainder of the day at the lake, they pop open the beers and play the cliché game of truth or dare. 

As the party intensifies, the movie flashes to a group of technicians taking bets on what appears to be a list of nightmares: foreshadowing at its best. When the smart, innocent Dana’s turn comes around, she is pressured into dare. Jules was interrupted by a cellar door automatically opening in the house, which was work of the two technicians. Dana was dared to go into the cellar which she did. After she safely made it, the group came down also and began playing with toys that they found. 

The horror part of the movie starts to take its toll when Dana finds a very detailed book about the killing of a family. At the end of the book, a Latin saying was inscribed within. Now who would say the Latin phrase, honestly that’s like asking to be killed. Marty the stoner tried to warn her not to read the phrase because he started hearing things. However, she continues to read it and raise the dead family she had read about. Meanwhile the technicians are mad because they had lost the bet, but the other laboratory workers are celebrating. 

Overall, I was extremely pleased with the outcome of the movie and I would definitely recommend that anyone who likes horror, thriller or even funny movies go see “The Cabin in the Woods.” The scare factor was lacking a little, but a lot of jumpy scenes made up for it.