THE CABIN IN THE WOODS

year: 2012 rating: ***

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote: “Talent may frolic and juggle; genius realizes and adds.” And while this dark comedy/partial satire on horror flicks isn’t completely on the genius level, director Drew Goddard and producer Joss Whedon definitely add to the young-people-in-the-woods slasher/horror genre.

The doomed youth consist of the standard ingredients: the virgin girl; the slutty girl; the jock dude; the nice dude; and the comic relief stoner. They venture to a woodsy cabin, watched by something other than crazy hillbillies. A group of "businessman" view the entire trip on high-tech monitors as the youngsters inadvertently follow the slasher elements: happening upon a device that awakens the particular “beasts” that try killing them off.

Meanwhile, the office people – more down to earth than creepy or sinister – are having a betting pool party of it. These include Bradley Whitford, who’s made a career playing conceited weenies since REVENGE OF THE NERDS II, and Oscar nominated actor Richard Jenkins, both funny as the adults we cut back and forth to. And in fear of giving too much away, the movie has worthwhile humor, effective chills, and interesting characters to invest in: especially the sole survivor (or survivors) of the first two acts.

It's during the fast-paced final thirty minutes, as multiple nightmares are unleashed on climactic levels, you’ll either get with the program or wonder if the writers took themselves, and their beloved body count genre, far too seriously. Either way – this is an experience: It's up to you to decide exactly what kind.