Knock At The Cabin Movie Review – STREAMING MOVIE NIGHT

2023 Universal Pictures

Rated: R

Length: 1 hr 40min

Drama ~ Horror ~ Thriller

Starring: Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Kristen Cui, Abby Quinn, and Rupert Grint.

“Save your family or save Humanity. You have to make a choice.”

Eric (Jonathan Groff) and Andrew (Ben Aldridge) are vacationing with their seven year old daughter Wen at a remote rental cabin in rural Pennsylvania. Wen is out front playing by herself and catching grasshoppers when a large man appears walking closer. He tries to make friends with her and tells her his name is Leonard (Dave Bautista). Leonard tells Wen that he and his friends have come to be friends with Wen and her two Dads. And that her Dads must let them in and listen to what they have to say. Seeing Leonard’s three friends approaching little Wen gets frightened and runs into the cabin to warn her Dads.

The Dads come into the cabin from the back where they were chilling. Listening to Wen being very upset alarms them and they button down the cabin. They see the strangers outside as they approach the door and Leonard knocks. He calls out Eric and Andrew by name and tells them they need to let them in. Eric and Andrew refuse and are alarmed by Leonard’s tone and why complete strangers have shown up wanting in. Leonard and his companions do not wait to be let in very long before they take action. By any means necessary they force their way into the cabin and tell Eric and Andrew that they were led to their cabin by visions. And they must listen to what they have to say and make a choice.

He tells Eric and Andrew that Humanity’s future hangs in the balance and that they must make a decision to help or turn their back. The choice is theirs to make but that there will be consequences either way, good or bad. The four strangers all have medieval weapons and it is all very ominous and horrifying as the movie plays out. In the very beginning of the movie, in the intro, there are drawings that the four strangers later refer to in the movie. I didn’t pay much attention to them in the beginning, but after realizing they were a part of the story, I went back and watched it again. So pay attention to those drawings in the beginning, they will make more sense later on in the movie.

It is more psychological horror than slasher horror, and it is definitely thought provoking. And it does keep you on your toes wondering what the heck is really going on. Are the four strangers nuts or is this for real? It is definitely a nightmare scenario for Eric, Andrew and Wen who thought they were going to have a peaceful little vacation in the wilderness. I really liked Dave Bautista in this. There was something very comforting yet terrifying about his presence and demeanor. Kristin Cui did a good job as little Wen, a good little actress she is.

The movie is based on the book The Cabin At The End Of The World by Paul Tremblay (The Book Link is an Amazon Affiliate link where we earn a small commission that does not affect your price) It is not for everyone, it is a psychological horror thriller that will make you squirm as choices and actions are made. But I liked it, it was something different and M. Night always leads us down unexpected paths, like this one.