How Cabin in the Woods Never Changed the Horror Genre

                         By Owen Quinn author of the Time Warriors and Zombie Blues

When Cabin in the Woods first came out, it was hailed as the movie whose ending would change the horror genre forever. As a huge fan of horror, I was intrigued and had to go see what this big revelation was all about. The trailer looked impressive especially the motorbike scene. This was going to be awesome.

Sadly the most awesome thing about this revelation was the hot nuts I munched on all the through the movie. Trust me, there is nothing like hot nuts to get you through the night. As the movie ending played out, I sat there and let a cry that involuntarily left my nut dusted lips.

“That’s fucking Buffy season 4!”

So let me explain that statement.

Cabin in the Woods was delayed for ages and almost never got shown but a deal brought it to the big screen It was written by Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard, produced by Wheddon and directed by Goddard. Now, let me just point out who wrote and created Buffy the Vampire Slayer….Joss Wheddon. I also point out that Wheddon was involved in the first two Avengers movies so Marvel fans were reeled. Let me also remind you that it had been long announced and filming images leaked on line of a pumped up Chris Hemsworth as Thor. The Marvel movies were gaining momentum like nobody’s business. Personally I think it was on the back of this that Cabin was released because a lot of people were swooning over a beefed up Chris. In Cabin, he is far from the muscle God I keep getting mistaken for. So these movies were released roughly a year apart. Coincidence? I think not.

Anyway, the movie was meant to turn horror on its head and be a comedic parody of the genre. It was going to finally reveal why every horror film had to have five certain types of people who are attacked and killed by the dark forces that hide in the dark.

You have the jock, the slut, the virgin, the scholar and the fool. Each was specifically chosen to go on a trip to the woods where they would always end up in a cabin, release some evil and die one by one. They think their trip was their idea but in fact is manipulated by forces unknown. This is not a formula for horror but a ritual that has happened for centuries. The gods are appeased and the world is safe until the next sacrifice is due.

All the while in a bunker a secret society is controlling the game to ensure the world doesn’t end. They are a cocky bunch with some familair faces among the cast from both Buffy, Angel and the West Wing. They take bets and party as they watch similar sacrifices all over the planet. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few it seems.

At the movie’s climax. two of the teeagers survive against the odds and infiltrate the inderground bunker. They discover an entire menagerie of supernatural creatures in cages like a zoo. To avenge their friends they release the monsters which tear apart the bunker personnel while a giant hand punches through the ground heralding the end of the world.

This is where “That’s fucking Buffy season 4!” cry comes in.

Everyone else was enraptured and looking round all I could think was, have none of these people actually seen Buffy season 4?!!? What a fake out. Change horror as we know it. All Wheddon did was rip off his own show and stick it on to a movie that seemingly was never going to see the light of day.

So let me set the scene for you. In Buffy season 4, Angel had gone to his own spin off series along with Cordelia and Buffy was now in college continuing the good fight. She gets a new boyfriend in the shape of Riley. He turns out to part of a secret military base under the campus called the Initiative. Thet They are capturing stupernatural creatures and keeping them captive in the base. Spike is captured s implanted with a chip that prevents him from harming Sanyone. Professor Maggie Walsh, leader of the Initiative has created a Frankenstein like being called Adam who intends to take over the planet. Adam is too powerful for Buffy and she has to tap into magic to stop him. In a James Bond epic climax, all the supernatural monsters are released killing the soldiers while Buffy and Adam battle it out. This is what happens in Cabin in the Woods but let’s face it Buffy did it much better.

While I understand how hard it can be to come up with good solid endings for stories, it also struck me that no one made the same connection as me. I even mentioned it on a  radio show I did and again the similarity seemed lost on the host who was a Buffy fan. But it’s clear that Cabin in the Woods, while entertaining, suffered from false advertising.

Cabin in the Woods didn’t redefine horror at all; that honour belongs solely to Buffy the Vampire Slayer.