Batem à Porta

Okay, Streamers, I know we all have been waiting on pins and needles for M. Night Shyamalan's next feature film, and it's finally here. Oh, was that only me? Okay, then... Anway, I was anticipating Knock at the Cabin since I saw the first trailer last fall. Home invasion and the end of the world movies build on reasonable fears that many people have, so let's see what Shyamalan was able to do with the mix of these two.

Knock at the Cabin is based on a novel by Paul Tremblay, "The Cabin at the End of the World." Shyamalan and his co-writers have adapted that novel into this movie. The basic premise is that a gay couple and their adopted daughter are on a vacation in a remote cabin in Pennsylvania when four strangers come to the cabin and tell them that the world will end unless they decide to sacrifice one of their own. It's a moral dilemma - kill someone you love in order to save billions of people you don't even know. What would you do if these hijinks ensue.

Here's the thing - the premise of this movie is very interesting. It immediately makes the audience question what decision they would make and what questions they would ask if put in this situation. In that way, the movie easily grabs you. The problem is that Shyamalan doesn't do much more than pose the question and go through the motions of telling you what these guys do. It gets repetitive and there isn't enough development of the gay couple as characters to help the audience care about them or why they make the decisions they make. Therefore, the movie becomes pretty frustrating and unsatisfying.

On the other hand, there are some good aspects. Dave Bautista, who plays one of the strangers, Leonard, is an inviting presence on screen. He can be menacing by his sheer size, but his performance ably fights against first impressions. Rupert Grint, who play another stranger, Redmond, brings a bit of dark humor. He's probably the scariest of the strangers. I'll also mention that even though I don't believe they are well-developed characters, Ben Aldridge and Jonathan Groff, who play the gay couple, Eric and Andrew, have good chemistry and react appropriately in this situation. I'll also say that no one does anything really dumb in this movie, which typically happens in these home invasion movies. Eric and Andrew, generally, make smart decisions to help protect each other and their daughter. So, the movie isn't frustrating because anyone is dumb.

I also don't know why this movie is rated R. There isn't really any gore. There isn't anything visually scary about it. There may be some curse words, but I can't imagine they were enough to justify this not being PG-13.

In conclusion, Knock at the Cabin is a decent entry in the Shyamalan filmography. It is not one of his best, but it also certainly not one of the worst. There is a good premise, but the movie doesn't do anything more than present it as a morality play, which eventually becomes repetitive. Although there are good performances, there isn't enough character development to sustain interest in these individuals. Knock at the Cabin is only good enough for a handful of popcorn - there's no urgency to see this in a theater.

I don't know why I keep on falling for it. I keep on watching movies by M Night Shyamalan, and continue to hope to walk away with the excitement and awe I felt when I watched movies like The Sixth Sense, Signs, and The Visit. Instead, I keep on walking away shaking my head, thinking about the lost potential and opportunity. He continues to have very interesting ideas with very poor execution. The concept of this movie is excellent. The directorial choices, the storyline, the decisions made by characters were to be honest with you kind of blah. I didn't care enough about any of the characters to really care what happened to them. For a director that's known for his plot twists, this movie sure could've used one.

Just so you know where I'm coming from up front, I should preface this review by saying I'm not the biggest M. Night Shyamalan fan - in fact, I kind of like to tease and mock his movies when I watch them with friends. I think he often starts off with interesting ideas but, perhaps because of his early success with The Sixth Sense, always feels this need to cram in some kind of ridiculous twist (or multiple twists) at the end. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't - but he seems to rely on the surprise of the twist to win people over too much. It was a surprise to me then when this movie didn't have a twist at all. I kept waiting for it - but it never came.

That's not really a good thing though because the movie is very slow and plodding, never really going anywhere, and at 1hr 40min the premise just isn't engaging enough to sustain interest for the duration. It's not all bad though. Perhaps the most surprising thing is Dave Bautista, who delivers a nuanced understated performance as Leonard. I still remember when I used to assume a movie was going to be bad if Bautista was in it - but over the past few years he has really come into his own as an actor and is showing his ability to take on some interesting roles.

While I can't really recommend this movie I do have to give it a few bonus points just for Bautista.

In a world of sequels and IP M. Night Shyamalan continues to give us interesting and original stories. And he tends to get a lot of flack for them sadly. People want original content but then destroy it every time it comes along. It's no wonder we can't have nice things. 'Knock at the Cabin' isn't perfect, but it's certainly a fun ride.

The film starts out as a mystery. We don't know what is going on and everything seems very strange and is not making a lot of sense. It's a good way to start a movie. Then we are let in on what is going on and things become particularly interesting. It's at this point that you simply must turn your brain off to logic to get through the rest of the film. Because much like a lot of religion it doesn't make a lick of sense.

Where the film let me down was the ending. The book has such a thought-provoking and interesting ending. To get the movie made they were obviously told they would have to change that. It's very disappointing but it's sadly where we are in the world of film. Everyone is afraid they might offend the 1% so the 99% miss out.

Still though, the first 9/10 of the movie are a pretty damn good time and are well worth your dollar. 7/10.

Knock at the Cabin ventures into the realm of suspense with a premise that initially sparks curiosity, earning it a 6 out of 10 stars. The film sets the stage with an isolated cabin in the woods and a mysterious knock that disrupts the tranquility, laying the foundation for an atmosphere of tension. As the plot unfolds, however, the execution struggles to maintain the level of suspense promised by the premise. While the film's pacing attempts to mirror the slow-burning tension characteristic of the genre, it occasionally results in drawn-out sequences that test the audience's patience.

The visual composition of the cabin's surroundings adds a sense of unease to the setting, utilizing dim lighting and carefully chosen camera angles to create an eerie ambiance. The gradual unraveling of the characters' emotions mirrors the mounting unease, contributing to the film's attempts at psychological depth. Nevertheless, Knock at the Cabin stumbles when it comes to fully fleshing out its characters' motivations and relationships, leaving the audience feeling detached from their fates. Despite its potential, the film's ultimately lackluster execution prevents it from delivering the impactful suspense it initially promises, resulting in a viewing experience that falls short of its intriguing premise.