(no subject)

[shadowkat]

YES! Finally, a reviewer totally captures what I felt about the film Cabin in the Woods. This review by abigail nussbaum in "Asking the Wrong Questions" explains in perfect detail all my issues with Cabin in the Woods and why I was underwhelmed by it:

http://wrongquestions.blogspot.com/2012/04/cabin-in-woods.html

Don't you love it when someone else perfectly articulates your half-formed thoughts? I tried to write a review explaining it - but she does it better. And I agree, the spoilery twist, revealed at the outset and in the trailers, doesn't help the movie.

Comments

[fenchurche.livejournal.com]

**Warning! Spoilers!!*** (figured I'd put that in, just in case someone who hasn't seen the move reads this.)

A very good review! Now, I have to say that I haven't actually seen the movie. I really can't handle gore, so I went for the compromise and bought the novelization... which was apparently spot on for the movie. And yeah, there were definitely moments in the story that would have been twists if they hadn't been rather blatantly spoiled in the promos (like seeing Marty and Dana in the elevator, since that meant he wasn't killed when he was dragged underground). And having read the book? I'm VERY glad I didn't break down and go see it in theaters. If it was anything like the book, the movie had to have been quite the gorefest.

The reviewer put a finger on exactly what it was that didn't work for me in the story and how it couldn't have been made stronger and more interesting... making it the technicians, instead. Also, toward the end, there was that moment where Marty and Dana are in that control room and there's actually something labeled "Purge" that opens all of them cages? WHY?!?! Why would the base or whatever you want to call it even have such a thing? The mind, it boggles.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

And having read the book? I'm VERY glad I didn't break down and go see it in theaters. If it was anything like the book, the movie had to have been quite the gorefest.

Oh, it was. Considering I spent half of it with my hand covering my eyes. I don't do gore well either. I blame my flist for this - they lied to me those suckers! They said it wasn't that gory. Seriously? Dudes?? They show a woman being decapitated. They throw her head. They throw bear traps into peoples backs and drag them. It's a bit like Saw meets The Wrong Turn, two flicks I read about but avoided in the movie theater, because I can't handle gore either. Stupid flist. Must remember not to trust them in regards to anything Whedon related. ;-)

Probably had something to do with why I didn't like the movie...too gorey, not enough story. To be fair, Whedon and Goddard stated in interviews that they went for the gore and really wanted to make a really gorey movie.

And yeah, there were definitely moments in the story that would have been twists if they hadn't been rather blatantly spoiled in the promos (like seeing Marty and Dana in the elevator, since that meant he wasn't killed when he was dragged underground).

Very true. I was completely spoiled for it by the trailer and promos, not the reviews. The evil marketing people spoiled the movie. LOL!
Which is a shame, because the only good thing about it were the plot-twists. Once that's gone...although, I think I may have figured them out anyhow. You knew two of the kids (the least cliche of the group and smartest) would overthrow the suits and bring the end of the world.

The reviewer put a finger on exactly what it was that didn't work for me in the story and how it couldn't have been made stronger and more interesting... making it the technicians, instead.

Agreed. The technicians were more interesting than the college kids.
That was a problem.

Also, toward the end, there was that moment where Marty and Dana are in that control room and there's actually something labeled "Purge" that opens all of them cages? WHY?!?! Why would the base or whatever you want to call it even have such a thing? The mind, it boggles.

Oh that's a classic comic book/cheesy sci-fi movie/tv trope. The self-destruct button or a purge button - where the monsters destroy the facility or the facility explodes - so no one can find out it's secrets! (I blame James Bond movies personally) He did the same thing in Dollhouse, Firefly, Buffy S4 The Initiative, Angel S4 - WRH and the zombie bit, and in the Buffy comics - with the destruction of the seed.
He likes doing it for some reason. I find it improbable and silly.
And wish he'd stop. It's a Marvel comic book and daytime soap, cheesy sci-fi cliche.