Knock at the Cabin (Movie Review)

In 1999, the world was introduced to M. Night Shyamalan for The Sixth Sense, a film he both wrote and directed, which turned out to be a huge success and brought in six Academy Award nominations. After a few more well-received films like Unbreakable and Signs, fans and critics of Shyamalan began to split (no pun intended) and the director became divisive. It’s hard to talk about Knock at the Cabin without looking at his film history. You most likely have a personal opinion on at least one, if not more, of his films and his career trajectory. When I heard M. Night was directing a movie based on one of Paul Tremblay’s books, I was excited to see it. I loved Tremblay’s A Head Full of Ghosts, and while I have not read The Cabin at the End of the World, I’ve heard mostly good things. And that brings us to Knock at the Cabin, a film about family, faith, and the potential end of the world.

Two parents, Andrew (Ben Aldridge) and Eric (Jonathan Groff), and their adopted daughter Wen (Kristen Cui), are vacationing in a cabin in the woods. Within minutes, this trio is taken hostage by four armed strangers with a demand. The family has to make a sacrifice to save the world. Refusing to choose results in punishment for humanity. If you’ve seen the trailer, none of this is new. The trailer shares the film set up and this is all revealed very quickly. The strangers, led by Leonard (Dave Bautista), do not want to cause harm to Andrew, Eric, and Wen. Instead they just ask them to listen to what they have to say and learn who they are. The film poses the question: would you sacrifice a loved one for the good of humanity?

As the story progresses, you find yourself questioning, along with Andrew and Eric, if everything Leonard and the others are saying is real. Seeds of doubt are sprinkled throughout, but I couldn’t help but feel a lack of tension. Despite great acting and high stakes for all parties involved, something was missing for me in connecting to the characters. Tight shots and skewed angles are meant to elicit a response of unease, but there was none. We’re provided backstory for Andrew and Eric’s journey up to this point and what this couple has had to endure. This can sometimes take you out of a story, but this exposition did allow you to understand the anger and disbelief we see in Andrew. I did even find myself slightly emotional towards the end, but it’s so rushed and forced, that I question if M. Night ever trusts his audience. There’s no ambiguity left by the end of the film and I was disappointed by this. While some viewers are angered by being left with questions, I wish I could have had more questions to ask. And after learning the ending of the novel, which differs from the film, I was even more disappointed. I won’t spoil what it is for those who want to read it, but I think personally this ending would have made the film more tense for me.

Visually, the film is stunning and well acted. If there’s one thing Shyamalan can do is direct actors. Bautista’s performance in this is harrowing. The only actor I felt disappointed in was Rupert Grint, who played the character of Redmond, who is essentially the most unlikable character of the bunch, so maybe that’s not his fault. Sabrina (Nikki Amuka-Bird) and Adriane (Abby Quinn), the other strangers in the group, also provide solid performances, leaving you in a back and forth struggle of who can be believed.

Knock at the Cabin is not M. Night Shyamalan’s worst film, not even close. There’s a lot to like about the movie, I just personally needed more dread and tension, something I know he can deliver. I think it’s worth a watch, especially for Bautista who is proving his range as an actor. And yes, Shyamalan does make a cameo for those who are curious. He just can’t help himself at this point.