‘Knock At the Cabin’ Blu-ray Review
Stars: Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, Kristen Cui, Dave Bautista, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Abby Quinn | Written by M. Night Shyamalan, Steve Desmond, Michael Sherman | Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
Based on the book ‘The Cabin at the End of the World’, there was little bit of controversy when Knock at the Cabin was released without any information to say this was based on the book or its author Paul Tremblay. But, this may have actually worked out okay for the author, as I’m sure there were many people like myself who finally got around to checking out the book after seeing the trailer. And after finishing the book and very much enjoying it, I was ready to watch the movie.
It’s a movie (and book) that you want to know as little about as possible but I can say that a family of three get taken hostage in their own holiday cabin by a group who tell them they must make a decision that will affect the whole world.
As soon as Dave Bautista comes into shot as Leonard, I could see he was absolutely perfect for the part. He expertly plays the role as this giant of a man who is politely and softly spoken, and most importantly ‘nice’. I say most importantly because his character needs to be like that, it’s a huge part of the story and Bautista plays it perfectly. All the cast are equally as good though. Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge as the parents of Wen (played by the excellent Kristen Cui), Nikki Amuka-Bird and Abby Quinn as the two women of the group that enter the cabin and finally Rupert Grint, who doesn’t get as much screen time as I would have liked. But the cast are really enjoyable.
Readers of the book might want to know how Knock at the Cabin differs from the book. At only 90 minutes, it doesn’t fit everything from the book inside its runtime. But what it cuts are the least important aspects for the most part. Rupert Grint’s character doesn’t get as much time for the viewer to think about who he is. It is explored in a different way and things are explained differently from the novel. The violence is almost completely cut. I guess some people will not like this, and this could have easily been adapted to be a brutal and violent movie. But is it needed? I’m not sure. Instead of seeing the moments of violence, the camera cuts away and the viewer’s imagination takes over from what they can hear. The ending will be the big talking point. Both in whether people will like it (I guess this could be said for most of M. Night Shyamalan’s movies) and because it differs from the book. I think I might be in the minority because for the most part (there were some aspects I didn’t love) I thought the movie’s ending was better than the books.
For a movie that is mostly spent in a single cabin, the time flies by, not a single second is wasted. And as is expected from the experienced director, it looks great. There’s some cool shots and use of the camera – Shyamalan fans will no doubt notice a few of his trademark cinematography.
I’m a fan of the director and I’d say Knock at the Cabin is definitely in the upper tier of his movies. Partly because of the source material, this is a thought-provoking and engaging horror thriller that fans of the book will love just as much as everyone else.
Special Features:
- Deleted Scenes – They Need Some Time / Going to Church / Enjoying the Sun / Leonard Explains]
- Chowblaster Infomercial – Extended
- Choosing Wisely: Behind the Scenes of KNOCK AT THE CABIN
- Tools of the Apocalypse
- Drawing a Picture
- Kristen Cui Shines a Light
