Knock at the Cabin is a 2022 apocalyptic horror film directed and produced by M. Night Shyamalan, from a screenplay he co-wrote with Steve Desmond and Michael Sherman. It is based on the 2018 novel The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul G. Tremblay, making it the first adaptation of one of his works.

While vacationing at a remote cabin, a young girl and her parents are taken hostage by four armed strangers who demand that the family make an unthinkable choice to avert the apocalypse. With limited access to the outside world, the family must decide what they believe before all is lost.

The film stars Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Kristen Cui, Abby Quinn, and Rupert Grint.

Knock at the Cabin made its debut in theaters on February 3rd, courtesy of Universal Pictures.

THE GOOD

As soon as Knock at the Cabin was announced, I was very intrigued. I thought the premise sounded really cool, and I was excited about the fact that it was yet another film from the talented albeit controversial M. Night Shyamalan. You simply cannot argue the fact that this dude belongs in the industry, but he is also far from bulletproof having attached his name to some duds over the years, most notably the live-action version of The Last Airbender from back in 2010, which had fans up in arms for good reason. But the fact remains, the director of the monster 1999 hit The Sixth Sense is more than capable of delivering the goods, including Unbreakable (2000), The Visit (2015), Split (2016), and more recently Old (our review here), which I actually really liked, and the Apple TV horror thriller series Servant, which is very well done. Knock at the Cabin has Shyamalan returning to the director’s chair and co-writing the screenplay, but as I mentioned in the intro, the film is not an original story of his. So, is this a film he can be proud of or just more ammunition for his haters? Keep reading to find out!

Good news ladies and gentlemen, Knock at the Cabin met my expectations and then some. I thought the cast was nothing short of spectacular, the story was extremely immersive and kept me guessing right until the very end, and the technical elements of the film were top-notch. One of Shyamalan’s calling cards is the unique and more often than not unsettling tone of his films, and that is very much present in Knock at the Cabin. The film utilizes several effective storytelling techniques with a patient approach, which really pays off in the end. As a cinephile, you are looking to check off certain boxes before you can feel good about giving a film the old thumbs up, but in my opinion, that is an easy determination here.

First I have to start with the story, which I loved. Now I know this is not an original story from Shyamalan and I have yet to read the book, but the book and the screenplay came together to provide one heck of a wild ride from where I was sitting, albeit more of a slow burn. Now I wouldn’t consider Knock at the Cabin to be in the horror genre necessarily, but in no way is that a criticism of the film. It is still able to effectively utilize certain horror elements, think The Strangers for example which is pretty obvious. This is a doomsday psychological thriller through and through, and without a doubt, it sinks its teeth in you. Bottom line, the story holds weight and really makes you think.

I found myself imagining what it would feel like if I were put in this position, on either side really, and that is impressive if you ask me. Knock at the Cabin is a complex film in a good way, and just when you think you have an idea of what is going on, another wrinkle in the story is revealed that flips what you thought you knew on its head. Just great misdirection storytelling that maintains an effective tone and never feels corny. I had my concerns about the ending for obvious reasons, but I honestly thought it was the perfect culmination and a satisfying conclusion. I’m looking forward to seeing it again. Kudos to Shyamalan, Steve Desmond, and Michael Sherman for their adaptation of Paul Tremblay’s novel, which I do plan on reading.

The cast is a massive bright spot for Knock at the Cabin and a big reason why the film works so well. I love me some Dave Bautista, the former professional wrestler who has become a legit movie star, and in my mind this is without a doubt his best performance yet. His character is so complex in terms of how he will be perceived by viewers, and I just loved his on-screen presence. Bautista’s commitment to his role brought out the best in the rest of the cast and ensured the story felt relatable and immersive. He was easily my favorite part of the movie. As an actor who has been typecast for the majority of his career, it was really cool seeing him get an opportunity to prove he can do more. The performances were fantastic from top to bottom, and it was great to see Jonathan Groff, the star of the Netflix series Mindhunter, in a feature film. As an actor, Groff has a certain demeanor about him, and I thought his character was equally interesting and intriguing.

Starring alongside Groff is Ben Aldridge, and I thought the two had genuine chemistry together which was crucial to the success of the film and the overall story. Harry Potter fans will recognize Ruper Grint, who also played a very impactful role. He plays the wildcard character who still manages to come across as sympathetic as you learn more about him. The performance of a young actor or actress can be the difference in a film like Knock at the Cabin in terms of ensuring the tone and feel remain throughout, and I was very impressed with young Kristen Cui. Cui and Bautista are the first characters viewers are introduced to, and the chemistry between them helps to build this story to its shocking conclusion. Shoutout to Nikki Amuka-Bird and Abby Quinn who were both great in their roles as well.

THE BAD

I do have a few criticisms for Knock at the Cabin but they are relatively minimal in terms of what they take away from the overall viewing experience. First, the pacing is a little slow so you do have to be patient. It is by design in terms of the buildup for the story and it honestly wasn’t an issue for me because I was so blown away by the quality of the acting, but it is something viewers expecting this non-stop crazy experience might have an issue with.

I also felt like the editing choices as it relates to the flashbacks felt a bit out of place, almost like I was supposed to get something from the flashbacks that I didn’t necessarily get. Now, this may be a me problem and could be fixed with a 2nd viewing, but it’s worth mentioning. This also may have been an attempt to involve more from the book. I also wanted to point out the fact that this film is timid in comparison to what we are used to getting from Shyamalan, but I do feel like that was a good thing because viewers tend to either love or hate the crazy twists in his movies. Not to say that we don’t get lots of twists and turns with Knock at the Cabin because we do, they just don’t feel quite as out of left field if that makes sense.

THE VERDICT

A thought-provoking doomsday thriller featuring an incredibly impactful performance from actor Dave Bautista, M. Night Shyamalan’s Knock at the Cabin will keep you guessing right up until its satisfying conclusion. As I mentioned in the review, this is easily one of Shyamalan’s best films in recent memory, and once again reinforces why this guy continues to get studio backing on a variety of projects. He has had some duds over the years, but he works his ass off and is deserving of some praise. Oh and keep an eye out for a great cameo from Shyamalan right around the start of the 2nd act of the film.