Knock at the Cabin’ Review: Who’s There? The Apocalypse

1. Director: M. Night Shyamalan
2. Cast: Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Kristen Cui, Abby Quinn, Rupert Grint
3. Runtime: 100 minutes
4. Storyline: A couple and their daughter are startled out of their rural idyll by a knock and four menacing strangers

Director M. Night Shyamalan

M. Night Shyamalan is an Indian-American filmmaker and screenwriter. He is best known for his suspense and supernatural thrillers, such as "The Sixth Sense," "Signs," "Unbreakable," and "Split." Shyamalan's films often feature unexpected plot twists and are known for their emotional depth and thought-provoking themes. He has received several award nominations and has been widely praised for his unique style and storytelling skills.

BEST MOVIE & AWARDS:

"The Sixth Sense" (1999) is often considered one of M. Night Shyamalan's best movies and is widely regarded as a classic of modern suspense storytelling. The film received six Academy Award nominations, including for Best Director for Shyamalan.

M. Night Shyamalan has received numerous awards and nominations throughout his career as a film director and writer. Some of his notable awards include:

1. Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay for "The Sixth Sense" (1999)
2. BAFTA Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay for "The Sixth Sense" (1999)
3. National Board of Review Award for Best Director for "The Sixth Sense" (1999)
4. Saturn Award for Best Horror Film for "The Village" (2004)

In the heart of the forest, a little girl named Wen, who is on a mission to collect grasshoppers, stumbles upon a seemingly friendly giant named Leonard. With tattoos adorning his massive arms, Leonard's demeanor is a delicate balance of gentleness and ferocity. However, as this is a film by the infamous M. Night Shyamalan, an ominous aura lingers as Wen begins to interact with Leonard. With cinematography that brings an almost otherworldly brightness to the scene and a score that teems with danger, the audience can sense that something terrifying is about to unfold.

The film presents a variation of the Trolley Problem, a classic ethical dilemma, in which Leonard poses a question to Wen and her family - would they be willing to sacrifice themselves or someone they love to prevent a global catastrophe?

Along with Leonard, three other believers accompany him - Sabrina, Adriane, and Redmond. The group believes that unless Wen or one of her gay fathers, Eric and Andrew, sacrifices themselves, a series of catastrophic events will ensue, including a flood, a plague, and darkness.

The question of why Wen and her family have been chosen raises more questions, with the possibility of it being related to Eric and Andrew's sexual orientation, or perhaps their rental of a seemingly cursed vacation home - "Knock at the Cabin" (previously known as "The Cabin at the End of the World"). With its remote location, spacious bookshelves, and dark wood paneling, the cabin serves as the perfect setting for a horror film.

The film, however, is not a conventional horror film. While suspenseful, "Knock at the Cabin" is more focused on exploring the emotional and psychological aspects of the situation than it is on frightening its audience. The film is not centered around a plot twist, but rather a series of dichotomies - whether Leonard and his group are telling the truth or not, whether Eric and Andrew will believe them, and so on.

Despite its preposterous premise, the film is an attempt to understand the emotional toll that such a situation would have on its characters. Leonard, who claims to be a gentle schoolteacher and prophet, tries to be empathetic to the predicament of Eric and Andrew. The rules of the vision state that Leonard and his group cannot perform the sacrifice, leading to a prolonged and often brutal seminar, with news broadcasts added to emphasize their argument.

With flashbacks to Eric and Andrew's lives as a couple, including their adoption of Wen, the film humanizes its characters, making them more relatable, while also adding depth to the story. Dave Bautista and Kristen Cui deliver outstanding performances, providing the danger, charm, wit, and grit that the film requires.

While the film's grandiose nature may be difficult to swallow and its emotional climax may not be fully earned, "Knock at the Cabin" is a thrilling and thought-provoking experience. With a runtime of 1 hour and 40 minutes, the film is rated R, and promises to keep you on the edge of your seat.