The Cabin in the Woods by Drew Goddard (review)

Although nominally directed by Drew Goddard, it is the prominence of Joss Whedon's name on the cover of the DVD that performs the author function for this metageneric sf/horror hybrid. Even though credited as co-writer (with Goddard) and producer, Whedon's fan-boy auteur status confirms the classificatory, proprietary purpose and affective attraction his name generates in the overlapping generic communities at which this film is aimed. This is further carried over in the narrative and characterisation of the film itself. A group of students leave for a holiday in the remote titular cabin, unaware that they are being observed and manipulated by a shadowy high-tech corporation. The scenario starts with a classic American Gothic scenario, as indicated by the title, crossed with a conspiracy thriller. The students' behaviour is subjected to the whims of their mystery observers, manipulated through technology and drugs. The students themselves resemble a spectrum of teen horror stereotypes - jock, scholar, slut, virgin and pothead - but also seem to kick against this typology. To say anymore would give too much away - suffice to say, spectatorial perspective and sympathy shift back and forth. This conveniently sets in place an ingeniously intricate narrative logic, which the film remorselessly follows to an apocalyptic conclusion. It is impossible to imagine a sequel to The Cabin in the Woods.

The film manages to bring together Whedon's defining stylistic eclecticism and reflexive generic commentary, recalling tropes from his better-known television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (US 1997-2003), Angel (US 1999-2004), Firefly (US 2002-3) and Dollhouse (US 2009-10). Goddard, having served his television apprenticeship as part of Whedon's writing team on Buffy and Angel, as well as on J.J. Abram's Alias (US 2001-6) and Lost (US 2004-10), makes his directorial debut. It is fairly evident he has absorbed the fan-boy bricolage tendencies of his mentors: his first film script was the world's first (and thus far only) found-footage Lovecraft, Cloverfield (Reeves US 2008).

This is not surprising, as Whedon's influence on telefantasy production is well known. A third-generation television writer, Whedon's father wrote for saccharine superannuated situation comedy The Golden Girls (US 1985-92), while his grandfather contributed to the Emmy-laden Mary Tyler Moore Show (US 1970-7). Television tends to privilege writers and producers, and after cutting his teeth writing for Roseanne (US 1988-97) Whedon sold his film script for Buffy (Kuzui US 1992). Unsatisfied with the bland adaptation, he reworked the premise of blonde cheerleader versus the hordes of hell into the television series of the same name. That and subsequent series effectively constituted an unofficial university for American telefantasy writers. Writers who worked on Whedon's shows have subsequently gone on to write for Battlestar Galactica (US/UK 2004-9), Torchwood (UK/Canada 2006-11), Warehouse 13 (US 2009-), Game of Thrones (US/UK 2011-) and Once Upon a Time (US 2011-), among many others.

The Cabin in the Woods' place in the Whedonverse is further emphasised by the inclusion of three regulars from his unofficial stock company of actors: Amy Acker, from Angel and Dollhouse; Tom Lenk, from Buffy and Angel; and most notably, Dollhouse's Fran Kranz as the pothead, Marty, whose most paranoid conspiracy theories turn out to be true.

It is, however, at the level of diegetic narrative that Whedon's influence is really felt in the playful ironic subversion of genre tropes. The amiable Kristen Connolly plays Dana, a college student recovering from an affair with her professor. She conveniently, and it turns out literally, fits into the role of the Final Girl, a term coined by Carol J. Clover to describe the slasher film's last female standing, who is left to confront the monstrous killer. Her friend Jules (Anna Hutchison) is the not-so-dumb bottle blonde, while Chris Hemsworth, pre-Thor (Branagh US 2011), and Jesse Williams, from Grey...