Reel Review Roundup

Knock at the Cabin (MA)

Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan

Starring: Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge

Review by: Julian Wright

The titan of twists, M. Night Shyamalan, ratchets up the tension with a terrifying “what would you do?” scenario in his latest offering.

While couple Eric (Jonathan Groff) and Andrew (Ben Aldridge) and their young adopted daughter Wen (Kristen Cui) are vacationing in an isolated cabin in the woods, they are approached by four strangers.

Leonard (Dave Batista), Redmond (Rupert Grint), Ardiane (Abby Quinn) and Sabrina (Nikki Amuka-Bird), armed with a range of seemingly home-made weapons, claim they are there to save the world from an apocalypse, by compelling the family to sacrifice one of their own.

Are they bigoted nutcases targeting a same-sex family, or are the couple blinded by years of mistreatment to trust they are genuine?

Shyamalan maintains a high level of tensions from the get-go with uncomfortable close-ups and a a nerve rattling, measured technique.

Character development of Eric and Andrew is only delivered via flashbacks in a clever story-telling choice that gradually reveals their resistance to comply – though, who in their position would?

While this ranks as one of Shyamalan’s better films (in a very uneven filmography), the final moments don’t deliver the dramatic punch that the tension-filled build-up promises, nor does it measure up to many of his other iconic wrap-ups.

But this is about the moral dilemma journey, and that alone is definitely satisfying.

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