is the plot that if two men get married and adopt an Asian child, they will cause the apocalypse? "what a twist"
Not M. Night Shyamalan's best movie, but a satisfactory movie that succeeded in what it was trying to do. The tension was established quite early in the movie, and it never let up until the very end. I will say the end of the movie did leave with more to be desired, but I can't say the movie didn't keep me watching throughout.
Interesting from a modern version of the bible (the four horsemen of the apocalypse) .. in my opinion, very good.
I never thought The Happening would be a better watch than any of MNS other movies but I’d rather be forced to watch that than this garbage any day. I didn’t feel a connection with any of the characters in the movie or care about the consequences of their actions. I’ve seen Twilight Zone episodes that were better. Worst MNS movie to date in my opinion.
Shyamalan is free falling since Signs and this is rock bottom. I couldn't believe how boring, boiled down, half baked idea that somehow ended up being a movie. Unless he has planns for another trilogy and this is the beginning of sth else. Waste of EVERYTHING! No atmosphere, no script, I couldn't care less if the couple with the kid or the horsemen survived or die. Also cheap trick in making them gay just to appease the Social Demand for inclusivity. I am utterly shocked of how bad this was.
If you are a M. Night Shyamalan hater you are going to automatically hate this movie. If you re a fan then the opposite. Was this a good movie? Hell yeah this was a good movie. I definetly recommend a MUST WATCH!
Boy this is so stupid and ridiculous I couldn't believe the characters take themselves so serious and boy they so do!! MNS , you suck dude, just give up already. Ready who greenlits these movies unbelievable..
Don't waste you time, just don't.
More like a 7.5, but I'll round up to 8. Regardless, I really enjoyed this movie! I was hesitant because sometimes M. Night does too much (specifically Old and Avatar come to mind). But this was a really well executed movie. Gripping all throughout, thought provoking, emotionally evocative. I'm truly glad I went to see this movie
Ok, first of all, i'm not that much of commentator on this platform, so i try my best to "review" this movie here.
Or at least i try to put down my thoughts.
First thing i want to mention, that this movie finally did it. I'm never ever gonna watch a movie from MNS again, nor do i watch a movie again, where i know a (former) wrestling star takes part in.
I couldn't connect with any of the characters in this movie. Least with Batista. Basically i cared for no one in this movie.
it didn't matter for me who died why or whatever happened in this movie
The whole plot was so predictable and nowhere suprising. And what i disliked the most, it didn't make sense at all, at any point in the movie.
And the ending, oh boy, was it stupid and not trustworthy at all. The whole character development (if i even can call it like that) between the parents was based on the fact that never ever would anyone of them would kill the other one, but still the movie suggests that andrew killed eric at the end, due to the fact that the "apocalypse" has been stopped. But in my opinion this is complete bullshit, because, based on what the characters did and said, eric must have killed himself. But like this, it's just stupid, that we shall believe Andrew did that.
But the most stupiest thing, where i really had to hold myself back to not laugh out loud in the middle of the movie theatre was The "Four Horsemen" reference, or whatever they tried to say with that. "Healing", "Caring", "Malice", and "Guidance" ?! Like, really? are you freaking kidding me? Thats literally the complete opposite for what the four horsemen stand.
All in all it was a big disaster of a movie in every aspect. Actors that didn't act well, Camera Operator who couldn't even get a clear image in most of the shots. And on top a really bad and predictable story that builds no tension at all. It took like maybe 10 minutes into the movie, from where on i knew how the movie was going and it how its gonna end.
I was expecting another home invasion horror, but it was so much more.
I really enjoyed this one.
Oh. This was very disappointing. I cannot believe how the director of some of my favourite movies of all time … churned out this predictable and lazy piece of work. I waited and waited and waited but there was no twist and no surprise. Judging by other reviews here, I must be missing the whole “big idea”! 5/10
Well, at least it was better than Old...
In all seriousness, this is the first time I have appreciated Bautista as an actor. And the expectation of a Shyamalan twist actually helped the movie by keeping the tension going all the way until the end.
I just wish the emotional journey of the movie was handled a little more gracefully and a little less Shamalan-ly. But I suppose that's too much to expect.
Also, what was up with Leonard saying, "I didn't realize you were the only female in the family" or whatever? I thought that meant they were going to have to sacrifice a female. Though I'm glad that wasn't the case.
This is actually quite good. It's not great, but if you're in an M. Night mood, this'll scratch the itch. I suspect that much of the criticism of this film on Trakt is due to Trakt's persistent problem with the anti-woke crowd downvoting films/series that either they haven't watched or films/series, like this one, that accurately depict the world.
This is an average film. If you're in the mood for atmospheric horror, your time won't be wasted. If you are not in the mood, watch something else, and if you're a conservative, QUIT REVIEWING FILMS BASED ON YOUR BIGOTRY AND POLITICS. I'm sick of it.
Kept me engaged from start till finish, but it was nothing clever. Very forgettable.
If you want to watch blood and gore, skip it.
If you want a move that will make you think, definitely give it a go.
I love M. Night and i love when he puts out a new movie. I will always watch his movies and shows.
This is dumb AF. Why did they try to escape when the captors said they would kill themselves? What a waste of 2 hours.
M. Night Shyamalan is synonymous with films with unexpected twists and turns that leave you open-mouthed. Not always, of course, but it's one of his trademarks. However, it was easy to guess that Knock at the Door would not be one of them when it is an adaptation of Paul Tremblay's novel "The Cabin at the End of the World".
Nevertheless, you can give it a chance to see Dave Bautista in a dramatic profile, away from the action films that opened doors for him after his time in the WWF, and to take note of the name of a very young Kristen Cui who does a spectacular job. The rest of the actors are mediocre, with Rupert Grint standing out and failing to shake off the "child actor" tag.
But it is not a great film. It's slow, boring and predictable.
I don't have much to say about it, but it's worth a watch.
Really enjoyed it. Cracking plot. Could of been more gory
This one was just alright for me. Mostly because stories of this nature don't normally appeal to me. But despite that, I was invested in the story to see how it would end. But nothing really jumps off the page for me. I think the film was shot great and I did enjoy that for the most part.
Had fun with this one. No frills, no crazy twist, just a good old fashioned popcorn flick.
Unimpressive, predictably poorly directed. Just a waste of time.
Acting 10/10
Camerawork 9/10
Writing 2/10
Honestly, I enjoyed the hell out of this movie. Subjectively, yes the book is better.
But the way Shyamalan changed the story structure makes sense for a mainstream audience. And he does it really well. I’ve seen other comments of people saying Shyamalan directed the crap out of this movie, and yes he did. I’d say this is probably his best yet.
My only nit-picks are that the “invaders” don’t seem to be as passionate as they are portrayed in the book. As the narrative continues in the book, the tension gets ratcheted up so freakin high. You really question if these “invaders” are really there to do some divine intervention for the world, or if it’s just an intricate hate crime.
I saw someone else said that Leonard didn’t seem to get as desperate towards the end of the movie like he does in the book. And yes, I totally agree.
I feel like the stuff having to do with Redmond got cut too short as well. It goes on for a while in the book, wondering what their true motives are after learning who Redmond actually is. I loved seeing Rupert Grint in a movie again, so I was hoping they would’ve gave him more stuff to do.
But I get it, you can only put so much into a movie that is also in the original source material and still try and keep people’s attention.
All in all though, nit-picks aside, I loved this movie. I loved the Dads, I loved the girl who played Wen (I love that Hollywood is getting great kid actors), and I loved how it ended up.
Praise for Paul Tremblay (the author) as well! His first novel to get the movie treatment!
Now they need to adapt A Head Full of Ghosts!
No too bad, thought it was intriguing throughout. Next to no gore which was disappointing.
Batista’s acting actually impressed me!
Look, I think that a movie about information bubbles and QAnon is long overdue, but this is not it.
It has some of worst dialogue I’ve seen in a long time, from the first scene it is already filled with landmines.
It’s the kind of dialogue that’s so bad and goofy that it gives none of the actors any chance of delivering a good performance, despite the fact that I know that someone like Jonathan Groff is more than capable. I am impressed by Bautista’s seemingly increasing range as a performer, however.
The story’s not that interesting generally, it all hinges on the question of whether Bautista & crew are telling the truth, and once that’s revealed it didn’t feel like much of a satisfying release to me. It’s lean but not really mean, it could’ve used some more bells and whistles in terms of character and story. As it stands, it’s mostly either dull or unintentionally funny.
The filmmaking’s ok, a step above some of Shyamalan’s other efforts, but still mostly uninspired and clearly copying those trademark James Wan/Leigh Whannell camera pans during key moments.
Maybe this is a bit of an obvious observation given that Us has a scene that’s similar to the premise of this movie, but the entire time I couldn’t stop thinking about how much better this would be if it were written and directed by Jordan Peele instead.
3/10
The movie has an interesting premise but ultimately 90% of the movie felt like a waste of time because none of the major plot points had any effect on the ending. The audience is never left wondering how the movie will end because it's made very clear from about 20 minutes in that there won't be a twist. What we're told is happening... is infact happening, and it's just not very creative at all. All Shyamalan had to do was not show those ridiculous news reports and I would've given this a higher rating.
The plot is ridiculous and doesn't make a lot of sense. But it's well acted and directed so kept my attention regardless.
Maybe we can define it a cabin horror with a total unusual approach. I mean, instead of the canonical redneck wackos, you find this time good people with reasons and motivations, and this is the twist that make it so interesting. It is up to the viewer to believe those 4 polite horsemen of the Apocalypse or not, but I gotta say I liked it: i liked the build up and the tension, the the actors, especially Bautista that continues to prove that he can act, the story is well written and coherent, and create doubts when needed. I don't know if the ending could be satisfying for everyone, with its pseudoreligiuos resolution, but in the end it works too. Shyamalan is still an interesting director, even if you hate his works you can't deny he has always something to say and something that moves you: maybe in a positive way or maybe in a negative one, but still.
I love movies like this so 10 from me. Reminded me of The Man from Earth for some reason.Liked the second guessing are they crazy who is correct .The ending felt a bit dry tho.
.
Really enjoyed the movie, even though some of the things mentioned do not follow their biblical similarities it is a nice way to keep the pace going and the viewer interconnected.
Holy hell, people, please lower your crazy high expectations for M Night. It's a perfectly good movie.
:heart:x5
Excellent mystery, thriller buildup without any kind of payoff. The ending was extremely weak.
How I rate:
1-3 :heart: = seriously! don't waste your time
4-6 :heart: = you may or may not enjoy this
7-8 :heart: = I expect you will like this too
9-10 :heart: = movies and TV shows I really love!
The four apocalyptic riders was kind of in your nose, but the way they presented themselves, or how the first 45 minutes were acted out, wasn’t.
Kept us thinking and on our toes for a long time.
It’s done very realistically. No matter which side you’re on. Are they just delusional or is it real? In a situation like that, of course you wouldn’t just straight out believe some apocalypse is happening. It stands more to reason there’s some mass delusion. But is it? Eric having a concussion and seeing things was neat. Keeps you guessing as well.
And then it’s like… how would their sacrifice change anything? If it was meant to happen or already has happened, how would their sacrifice stop the “apocalypse”? At least with logical non-supernatural thinking it makes little sense. But with the supernatural one… yeah, ok.
This guy has never made a good movie. Signs and Sixth Sense are decent, the rest is garbage.
"The four of us are here to prevent the apocalypse. We - and when I say, "we", I mean everyone in this cabin, can stop it from happening, but only with your help. Ultimately, where the world ends or not is completely up to you three."
Went into Knock at the Cabin blind and it went a totally different route then I expected it to go but near the end before they told us I had a feeling these four "strangers" represented the four Horseman of the Apocalypse and seeing Ron Weasley as one of them was great. First movie I think I ever saw with Rupert Grint in which he isn't a wizard. Fun Stuff!
I also have to give big Dave Bautista a shoutout. He is getting better and better and hopefully he will get many more interesting movie roles! He might not be the draw "The Rock" is but he surely to me acting wise, the best pro wrestler turned actor.
Anyway M. Night Shyamalan's Knock at the Cabin is a great to look at, has great acting, a cute kid in Kristen Cui, it has a infomercial, sadly no Batista Bomb, great self constructed weapons, is never dull and has no twist.
After seeing the movie I am interested in reading the book on which it is based. Which is always a good sign and I'm always happy to see a enjoyable M. Night movie.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Knock at the Cabin’:
I know it may be an unpopular opinion, but I really do love the way M. Night tells a story, even if it is fairly simple and perhaps even a bit predictable. There’s always a sense of grandeur that I appreciate. A suspenseful unfolding of reveals that keeps me invested. Always a great score and unique cinematography too.
I was kinda hoping for a major twist. Like the daughter being the one who unexpectedly sacrificed one of her fathers or them realizing at the diner that it was all a hoax or something. But I was happy with the ending.
It was nice to see Bautista flex his acting chops here. And, despite not being very familiar with him, I thought Ben Aldridge was fantastic.
Like a Chippendale working for the post office: a nice package that delivers.
Knock at the Cabin is a solid film, replete with mystery and moments of genuine suspense. Some interesting turns help wash down the cliches that pepper the film and, while the flashbacks harshed the vibe the rest of the movie gave, Knock at the Cabin delivers 100 minutes of decent genre cinema.
M. Night Shyamalan is actually a magician disguised as a director! I say this because when you watch a magic act, you know what you are watching is not real. You know the goal is to fool you. The magician wants to ultimately insult your intelligence and make you question reality. M Night has similar motives in his movies. He takes obscure and unique situations to get you initially invested, takes you on a ride, and pulls the rug from under your feet. Most of the time, the ending doesn't really make sense and you question whether or not you enjoyed the movie. For better or worse, people talk about M Nights movie, discussing his "magic trick".
"Knock at the Cabin" is a clever magic trick. I know I want to watch this movie again to appreciate the magic trick of this movie! Is it his best trick or movie? I don't think so, but I enjoyed the ride!
Rating: 3.5/5 - 8/10 - Would Recommend
I don't like it when I watch movies like this, they sound like empty movies with no purpose, and that I'll forget in hours. We don't have interessant critiques of society like The Village, we don't have an interesting fabulous tale like Lady in the Water, we don't have a pleasant atmosphere like The Happening, we don't have scary elements like The Visit, we don't have a thematic construction or characterization like Unbreakable, Split and Glass, and finally, we don't have an interesting message about faith/religion like in Signs. And here? we have nothing outstanding, just a convenient and random plot, out of nowhere three quiet people on vacation have to choose a sacrifice to avoid the apocalypse, why? wtf lol.
Slightly Lovecraftian movie where prophets try to not sound crazy. Reminded me of A cabin in the woods with the premise
It was a quite a tense filled ride. It didn't really have the typical Shyamalan twist but I enjoyed it.
Wow, Trakt has a lot of armchair screenwriters and directors on here.
This is Shymalan's best film since "The Village" which is saying a lot since I wrote him off as a director years ago. So this is a good return to form for him.
Also, the script is adapted from a novel by Paul Tremblay, a respected thriller writer--so if you have issues with the story, blame the original novel (the film rights sold fora seven-figure sum).
Personally thought this was very well directed, acted and scripted: the scenario grows organically and I never lost interest.
Recommended for those who like endtimes thrillers. Would make a great double feature with "Leave the World Behind" as the stories share similar qualities: unexplained catastrophic events occurring mixed with the worst of human intentions. Both films also adapted from novels. And they both definitely touch on the zeitgeist we find ourselves now in post-pandemic with a lot of conflict in the world and the resulting uneasiness that permeates our daily lives.
Little better than Old. Beautifully shot and good acting from Dave Batista and the little girl. Was interested the whole time but this movie is far from amazing. Will never need to return to this but glad saw it once.
Well, someone had to come up with this idea. I like
And this Ben Aldridge looks so much like tom Ellis WTFFF
The tension, camera work, and sound work perfectly in most scenes, but it felt just a little less than what it could have been. In other words, it could have been better.
The acting kept my attention and is the only reason why I rated "Knock at the Cabin" better than "Old". The script doesn't impress. No real twists or surprises, besides the intruders murdering themselves.. This movie provides nothing but this one setting/"dilemma" and runs with it till the predictable end.
Great acting ruined by a flimsy plot. There was potential, but the execution fell flat. The film clearly intended to say a lot, but didn't end up actually saying anything at all. Fellow Jonathan Groff lovers, this movie is a skip.
I’m trying really hard to understand what the hell I just watched. In fact, I feel violated.
Had high hopes for this but it sucked so badly. I do not recommend !
It's hard to be an Abraham.
I will rate this movie some LGBTQ+ members are mentally retarded/10
An interesting twist on an already sort of done to death plot for a thriller as this follows a family a three who get approached while on vacation in a cabin by a group of 4 people who take and hold them hostage with a unique motivation. The acting, suspense of the filming, and scene setting was very good and made for a edge of your seat watch. However, there was little to no build up at all and hardly any shocking plot twists. The whole movie was the premise, no beginning nor climax really.
3/10
Bad
No didn't work for me this
one, what a boring
Grind this one was.
Good performances I
guess for this paper-thin
plot, but it was all weird
and crappy and not a
Good weird either just
weird.
Dave did a good job
in this shitty movie
but nothing memorable
or groundbreaking.
Everything was just
slow and boring with
little to no forward
momentum.
NS did not do the
source martial justice
at all,
(2018 novel
The Cabin At The
End Of The World).
Verdict: piss-poor
execution that
ultimately went nowhere
and ended up being
a big fat waste of time.
1H 40M
I'm never getting back,
Happy to put this one
in my rear view mirror.
I thought there would be a scientific reason or something for justifying the apocalypses but found out it's just another one of those Bible preaching ones.
Knock at the Cabin is another poorly-made dramatic thriller from M. Night Shyamalan. Based on a novel, the story follows a family that is taken hostage and forced to make an impossible choice by a group of four strangers who have come to stop the Apocalypse. The concept is fascinating, but the script doesn’t seem to know what story it’s telling. There are a couple of flashbacks with the family, but it all seems extraneous and doesn’t really develop the characters or further the plot. And the four messengers are woefully underdeveloped, with little to no information about the ritual that they seem to be performing and how they’ve come to it. Also, while there are some seeds of ambiguity sown about the truthfulness of the messengers and they’re story about the Apocalypse, it doesn’t really go anything. Knock at the Cabin is atmospheric and delivers a few thrills, but it’s held back by the weak storytelling and a lack of a clear vision.
Knock at the cabin? More like snore at the cabin! Nah... the storyline and the decisions made by the characters were kind of blah. So at the end I didn't care enough about any of the characters and what happened to them. Also I found the whole motive for the movie which tries to send a cryptic message to the audience a bit annoying. Can't we just have decent straight forward horror movie with no modern day messages that the director wants to be delivered? Thank you.
Original,. I'll give it that
As a passionate misogynist I would of course choose and celebrate the apocalypse. Hell is other people. Oh, and the movie is :poop:
As is the case with Shyamalan's script, it is unconventional, quite economical in effects, but thought-provoking. Only that American-centrism is a bit weak. ;>
I didn't have quite the visceral reaction some on here had, lol, but the story was sadly rather lightweight and I guessed the reveal of them being the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse way before it was mentioned on screen. A shame because the cast is excellent and, besides Rupert Grint's character, all very likeable and nicely brought to life by the performances.
Even before everything starts to happen in the cabin, you know nothing is going to happen to the little girl, so the only mystery in the whole movie is what dad is going to die?
And at that point you wasted 2 hours waiting for that to happen, no twist nothing.
I didn't see the point of making it a gay couple, what did it add other than bashing you over the head with the struggles of gay people, they try and make the one dad seem bigoted the otherway but it falls flat and it painful to watch.
I would find it hard to not believe a mother's love for her child would have been a better fit, but having the two Dads makes it to where the decision at the end ment nothing cause hey ... she still has one guy ...
I really thought there would be a twist to where it was a hoax or something ... honestly that would have made the movie a 7 out of 10 but for me it's a 4.
this is based one of my favorite books and the changes the filmmaker’s made seem like they fundamentally misunderstood everything about the story and I haaate that they removed all the ambiguity that made the novel so intriguing
also i thought dave bautista was just ok but not really agreeing with all the rave reviews of his performance
Bautista's performance is genuinely standout, alongside strong performances from the rest of the cast in this incredibly well-shot piece from M. Night. It relies a little too heavily on exposition for my liking, and I can't say I'm a fan of the ending being so direct for this kind of story, but it's well worth a watch for the cinematography alone.
Much better than many on here are saying it is.
Is it a classic? No.
Is it worth watching? Yes.
7.5/10
As a fan of M. Night Shyamalan's work, I was excited to watch Knock at the Cabin. However, I have to say that it left me disappointed. I expected so much more from this film, but unfortunately, it falls in line with The Happening as one of Shyamalan's worst. What's more, it didn't have the trademark twist ending that we've come to expect from Shyamalan's films. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this movie to fans of the director or the thriller genre. It's a shame because the premise had a lot of potential, but the execution was lacking.
American movies about apocalypse are often unbearable, and this one is no exception. Violence and gun, I mean, what is wrong with United States? Violence and gun had to be the epicenter of the movie, obviously.
Original plot which was executed good. Evtertaining to watch. They tried to hard to incorporate "woke" topics. Which was rather annoying. None the less, worth the watch.
I am BEGGING studios to stop giving M. Night Shyamalan money to write movies. His strength lies in directing, and he has a fantastic uniquely recognizable film style. He hasn’t written a good script since The Sixth Sense. Just let it go, man!
The movies is not perfect, but our certainly is watchable, and has a few strong point. Bautista's performamce stands out and he proves he's an excellent actor that steals the show, but not at the expense of the movie.
Not bad, but not great. Just ok. Could have been better.
Pretty average fair. Worth the watch on a subscription service but nothing really that stand out here.
- knocks on door seven times * :door:
Knock at the Cabin was alright for me, simple but still an interesting topic; good to see on a Sunday as it taps on certain beliefs, but I probably won't see it again for a long time.. a couple of amusing moments though, and mentions of Boston/Massachusetts, and I noticed Shyamalan's been using those second-person shots lately like in Old and Servant ⛱
Was hoping it was building towards this big ending but then it ended and I felt that was it?
Batista is the only good about this movie!
Threat is the path to sacrifice, in one of those suspense exercises that are as well constructed as they are narratively ambiguous. I'm not sure if there is some element that may sound retrograde in this leap of faith to which the "modern family" must submit or, on the contrary, is a reflection of a paranoid society. But the spirituality that Shyamalan recognizes in his cinema becomes more explicit in this film, at the same time that the horror that faith causes to avoid the apocalypse becomes more unbearable. And this dichotomy between who believes and who doubts is the most interesting thing about a story that sometimes drowns in its own approaches.
I really kinda liked this movie, I got hooked from the start to the end. It's not the best movie M. Night Shyamalan have done but satisfying enough. Good acting too.
Gotta say I liked OLD better and I thought that what a giant turd!!!
I liked the book, and the movies was pretty true to the book, but for me just lacked the ability to capture my interest.
The acting and character development was very good, and the script was well done, just didn't translate for me.
I agree with Andrew ... we're not worth saving. Would rather sit in the forest with friends and family, drinking some nice gin and watch the end. LOL Not convincing for an athiest. All pretty predictable too, from start to finish.
Trailer is better than the actual movie. What a waste !!
Such a boring movie. Kept telling my girlfriend “Here comes the Shyamalan twist!” which never came.
Someone please stop letting this man make movies. For fucks sake
The movie kept me on the edge of my seat and I never predicted where it was going. So that makes it a success in my book.
The first hour of Knock at the Cabin is absolutely fantastic. The slow build of the premise and the players involved is laden with tension and mystery, and really does a great job of streamlining the books somewhat fluffy telling of the events into a tight, gripping package. All of the strangers are played just like their book counterparts, but Bautista and Abby Quinn play theirs to perfection. Bautista builds on the small part he had in Blade Runner 2049 and pulls off the loveable giant Leonard like the character was written for him. I can't wait to see him get more serious roles like this in the future.
Unfortunately, much of the magic is lost during the back half of the movie.
Why oh why did they feel the need to change the ending to something so...final? The ambiguity left by the novel was one of my favourite things about it. Still not quite knowing until the very end if this was a group delusion or an actual premonition is what makes the books ending so good. By confirming that Redmond was indeed O'Bannon and showing the end-of-days actually stopping when they finally agree to the terms of the Strangers only serves to take away all of the lingering questions and mystery that make the book as harrowing as it is. I know this is probably coming across as the usual ramblings of a bookreader scorned but I really cannot understand the need to switch to such a straight-faced, mysteryless ending.
Overall I thought this was one of the better adaptations of a horror novel, and M. Night Shyamalan shows that he's still got it, even if the story that he's shooting is not quite up to snuff. The warm, fuzzy look of this movie really fits the ambiance well and the direction of the gore and violence was tasteful while upholding the impact needed. Good movie, only hampered by it's strange compulsion to give modern audiences a direct answer to questions that really don't need to be answered. I'd say the first hour is a solid 8 out of 10, dragged horrifically down to a 6/10 by the absurdly changed ending. Worth a viewing, but I implore you to read the book first, or read a summary of the book shortly after you've finished. It really is a much better resolution, at least for me.
What a waste of time… slow pace af! No wonder this didn’t do sh:asterisk_symbol:t in the theaters. first of all aside from Dave Bautista who has been improving his acting skills the more roles he gets. His acting was very good on this movie overall and matter fact he was basically what kept this movie going. Rupert Grint was also good but didn’t got much screen time sadly.
Everyone else was annoying and their acting was mediocre. There was some scenes that I was just shaking my head at the stupid decisions or moves the couple took when they were involved on escaping situations.
I won’t get in more comments, because it’s not even worth it. This movie was just another failed attempt from M. Shyalaman’s book. And I really like this man vision as director and story teller, just the late executions he has put out on the big screen haven’t been quite successful. Split was literally my latest favorite adaptation from him the others after that Glass, Old and now this film have been quite a step down. I hope his next movie ends up being more watchable.
Oh, yeah… before I leave. Not recommended, Not worth it, don’t waste your time. :thumbsdown:
Bye :wave: happy streaming and on to the next film! :rocket:
These points are only for cinematography and acting. If we consider the remaining components, they, alas, do not justify the time spent. The director has always had everything in order with ideas, but something is wrong with bringing them to mind. After "Split" from trumps remained only pretentiousness
Not as bad as I thought but definitely not as good as it could have been. Too meandering and slightly too preachy it ultimately fell flat into yet another nothing burger.
But...
it would have been hard to expect them to become the new Adam & --Eve-- Adam because... Well... that would either mean the destruction of mankind all over again or... Welp... A very awkward and ethically wrong situation indeed.
What an absolute croc of crap, if you manage to make it to the end well done.
Another M Knight flop. He is never going to get back to the sixth sense fame.....of course the dude responsible for killing a large amount of people is the one that survives. Remember he said the rest of you can die but us 3 going to live? Something like that but he lives right? It seems more movies are working the no love, no empathy is the survivor, so what you trying to teach the world M. Knight?
A film directed by M. Night Shyamalan that I enjoy from beginning to end? What a pleasant surprise! I am truly not a fan of the director's more recent films. However, I have to give him credit for the fact that his works always have a great premise. Only the execution is usually lacking. For once, this is not the case with "Knock at the Cabin." Shyamalan consistently succeeds in creating a reasonably suspenseful atmosphere. Furthermore, the film benefits from strong performances by Ben Aldridge, Jonathan Groff, and Dave Bautista.
Looking at the script, Shyamalan's usual problems are definitely present. The man simply cannot write natural dialogue. Everything is very clunky, as usual. However, in my opinion, it is much less of a problem than, for example, in "Old." Meanwhile, the plot is certainly not award-worthy and is also quite predictable, but it serves its purpose. You can sympathize with the main characters throughout, even if the film loses a bit of steam towards the end. The low budget is hardly an issue. If you don't expect a lot of changing locations or flashy special effects, you can definitely have a good time with "Knock at the Cabin."
my main reaction: no matter your opinion of the movie, read the book this was based on if you haven't yet. it was far more frightening (and gory! so gory!!!) and the storytelling decisions made were well-executed, if much more traumatic.
rest of my thoughts below:
this was acted well and looked beautiful. that's actually what's kind of annoying. like, i even liked dave bautista's performance, and his acting is hit-or-miss for me (and i think the rest of the world probably). everyone else was amazing too, and jonathan groff was especially reminiscent of the book eric.
and i get that movies can't always be faithful to the books they adapt. i think adaptations can coexist with their source material, too, regardless of how closely they stick to it. (the last of us is a good example; it generally replicates the original video game while still making major changes that make sense and play out authentically.)
i guess the issue for me is that the changes here took away what made the cabin at the end of the world the story that it was. paul tremblay wrote things in that book that i honestly never expected an author to write. he made decisions that are taboo in fiction and they worked. and to be fair, one of the coolest things in the book is how he changes the perspective near the end from third to first, to a bizarre amalgamation of both that actually worked. that's not something a movie can replicate, so i wasn't expecting that to be portrayed. but i was expecting the same terror the book gave, because the movie was marketed as a horror. i hadn't seen the trailer, but i had friends say it was scary. the movie wasn't. it just—was what it was. maybe it was kind of a thriller? kind of a drama? it didn't manage to give me the same fear response the book did, and i think that is at minimum something it should have achieved.
some of the changes were also just confusing. for example, it wasn't clear until one of the final scenes why on earth andrew's occupation needed to be changed to human rights attorney. and the ending. oh, the ending was disappointing. i understand why certain decisions weren't kept; it would've been a hard movie to stomach. but even so, man, i don't know why we couldn't have kept the open-ended part of the conclusion. i normally hate when stories do that (as someone with severe anxiety, that shit used to be rumination bait) but it worked for this story. god. so many things were confirmed that should've been left up to interpretation.
also: not nearly gory enough. i've read some reviews that the violence in this movie is intense—maybe it's just because i'm comparing it to tremblay's VERY vivid descriptions of gore, but this was tame. it cuts away from every act of violence and relies on sound alone to give you the knowledge that someone has been injured.
was it worth watching? sure, it was fine. but it's not worth a rewatch and it told a lesser version of the story the cabin at the end of the world told. if you hate reading, that probably boosts its value, but if you like reading, go read the book.
These days of course the trailers made it obvious of the Shymalan twist. That everything the strangers say is true. Even the trailers didn’t leave much for the imagination. No Sixth Sense like twist exists that will leave you shocked.
With that said A Knock At The Cabin is still one of Shymalan’s better movies. He has done worse movies where he seems to enjoy getting robotic performances out of people. Even Mark Wahlberg and Will Smith.
There’s at least no robotic performance and way better dialogue than Wahlberg had in the Happening. Even if I can’t say the trailers didn’t tell most of what to expect.
I just didn’t expect the sacrifices and that is about all that surprised me. After one though, they are less shocking and there’s nothing else surprising.
After sixth sense, Unbreakable, The Village, Signs, Split, the Visit… this comes in as his seventh best film. It’s ending is a massive let down. What is it with his recent films and endings?!
Would make for a decent Twilight zone episode if it was cut to half the length. I really liked that they just quickly got to the point, but then they completely killed the pace but pointless flashbacks that did not add to the story at all. Also, no real surprise at the end . Not bad, but nothing really special here.
This had some good elements to it. I tend to enjoy Shyamalan's work. Bautista is great here. Some moments in the middle dragged a little and the use of super close-ups on their faces was a touch too common, but solid for what it was. 6.4.
Shyamalan has a distinct energy and style to his films that can shine with the right cast and sink with the wrong one. Part of why Old didn’t quite work for me is the fact I don’t think most of the adult cast could key into that energy. It takes a particular type of actor to shine in his movies- either kid actors coming to it without cynicism and with the same passion Shyamalan does, or actors who come at it earnestly and find the core of what can be in the wrong hands stilted or unwieldy dialogue. This movie has both.
Kristen Cui joins the likes of Haley Joel Osment as a child actor Shyamalan guides to a natural and sympathetic performance. And the four who knock are all at their A game, all come at it with the right mindset and the required skill. Grint plays to ambiguity, able to convey atonement or resignation depending on the viewer’s eye. Quinn has a real naturalistic performance that elevates her role and makes it feel like an actual person. But Amuka-Bird and Bautista truly shine. Amuka-Bird is earnest throughout, a nurse who once swore to do no harm forced to do so to prevent the greatest amount of it, and you can see her wrest with this in every action and line. And she’s no superhero or villain; she’s allowed to be terrified, allowed to be vulnerable.
And Bautista. I could watch him in anything. Achingly empathetic, the ways his eyes well is spellbinding. Shyamalan gives him so much room to play with and so many angles to highlight his performance, rightfully so. His delivery alone when he tells them that he agrees they don’t deserve this got me choked up. His face when Cui tells her she has two dads; I think he pulled upon his own love and admiration for his lesbian mother, because it says so much and leaves it up to the audience why exactly it resonates so much with his character.
Yes, the CGI isn’t the greatest but I’m not really counting that as a knock. It’s not the point of the film or why anyone came. More unfortunate is the third act falters when Bautista exits, and it gets afraid people might miss the point so it stops to explain itself. It’s a shame cause there’s some interesting readings here if you let the film speak for itself. On one hand, yes, the lead couple’s love is pure and strong and a commentary on the power of chosen family. On the other, you could talk about the transracial adoption, and the assimilation and separation of these white cis upper middle class gay men seeing things as them specifically vs the Straight World. They never mention any of their community also at risk, the families like them, and that’s something meaty to chew on whether it’s intentional commentary on Shyamalan’s part or something he missed framing this as a sacrifice by the gays for a world that hates and fears them.
I also don’t think Groff and Aldridge are as dialed into Shyamalan’s vibe as much as the antagonists are. Lines don’t feel as natural on their tongues, exposed for their awkwardness. But A Knock At The Cabin is still an engaging watch if you open the door to it.
Knock at the Cabin has an interesting premise and lots of potential but what is ultimately delivered is underwhelming and you can't help but ponder at what could of been. The story is very straightforward but demands the viewer to constantly question "what would I do in this situation?" Once you've answered that question there's unfortunately not a whole lot left to it. You also question the characters motives and if it's real or not but everything is so spoon fed and overexplained that you leave the viewer with no room for doubt or imagination. I wanted way more confusion and doubt in my mind instead of just already being told how it ends. It also got repetitive and because of that you absolutely need a twist at the end otherwise it's just repetitiveness and then credits roll.
The acting was it's finest quality the star was definitely Dave Bautista he proves here that he can definitely act. Rupert Grint was absolutely haunting, the girl (Kristen Cui) would put a lot of adult actors to shame and Ben Aldridge is an amazing discovery. The two parents had great chemistry and the emotions were there for the family aspect. The camerawork is something to praise and I got some major Servant vibes whenever Rupert Grint was around, M. Night used the same camera close-ups and style. I'm a bit bummed by the off-screen kills, there was so much potencial there but Shyamalan's more thriller oriented so it's understandable. The tension was sky high in the first half but it slowly died down. I wasn't a fan of the ending it's expected and doesn't leave you with anything to think about or discuss.
Not Shyamalan's worst and certainly not his best but it had some good moments and it's premise is not something i'll forget anytime soon.
Shout by Andrew HenzeBlockedParent2023-02-11T17:24:49Z
A beautifully shot and acted, piece of shit. I would rather die in the apocalypse than watch this again.