"KNOCK AT THE CABIN" Cunning and Captivating

If you’re familiar with the films by M. Knight Shyamalan then you know his main style of keeping his audience guessing to the very end. Movies like The Sixth Sense (1999), Signs (2002), and his recent Old (2021) are good examples of his cunning ability to distract while rolling out a plot so that the ending becomes a surprise. His newest release Knock at the Cabin keeps the same style and his subject matter is an apocalypse that can be averted, but at what cost?

Partners for life Eric (Jonathan Groff) and Andrew (Ben Aldridge) have decided to bring Wen (Kristen Cui), their adopted child, to a vacation in the woods where they can lay back and enjoy the family. Their cabin is adequate for the young girl who at 8-years-old seems ready for the adventure. What the three didn’t expect, however, was a situation that finds them being forced by four strangers to make an unreasonably shocking demand that they say could save the world.

From left: Dave Bautista, Abby Quinn, and Nikki Amuka-Bird in KNOCK AT THE CABIN, directed and co-written by M. Night Shyamalan

While I am not a huge fan of Shyamalan’s films, especially the lackluster movies After Earth, The Last Airbender, and The Happening, this film does rise a bit above them. But, not enough to make it “Earth shattering”. However, I especially liked the performance by young Kristen Cui who delivers a smart aggressively defensive Wen who’s up to the challenge. Considering her age and lack of experience, I don’t know any star her age that could have provided a better character scripted here. She’s the glue to making the film entertaining and she sticks it all together to the revealing ending.

Knock at the Cabin has been rated R for violence and language. Many brutal scenes are shocking at times, but it’s not a “real” horror story. Don’t expect any ferocious beasts or vampires in this little ditty, as it’s all about the coming apocalypse. It’s not “The Sixth Sense”, but it does entertain mystery fans who will probably figure it out early on.

Director and co-writer M. Night Shyamalan on the set of his film KNOCK AT THE CABIN

Additional Film Information:

Cast: Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Rupert Grint, Abby Quinn, Kristen Cui Directed By: M. Night Shyamalan Genre: Horror Mystery Thriller MPAA Rating: R for violence and language Running Time: 1 hr. 40 min. Opening Date: February 3, 2023 Distributed by: Universal Pictures Released in: Theaters