Reed Alexander's Horror Review of 'Cabin Fever (2002)'

Since they launched a remake of this horror cult classic, I decided to review it and compare the two. I'll be watching the new one next, so look out for it.

What I love about Cabin Fever is what I've loved about most good-bad movies. You can tell they just had a lot of fun making it. The movie itself is completely ridiculous and only takes itself seriously long enough to set the right mood for moments of graphic body horror.

Let’s face it, up until the horror actually begins, this movie has the feel of a National Lampoon more than serious horror. I mean, one of the main characters did a spot on Super Troopers and his character isn't all that different. The build up to the really violent shit also takes a little while. While there is the feel of horror spread thinly throughout the movie with things like jump scares and blood, mostly the cast just goof off. Even Eli Roth himself pops in for a cameo as a skeezy stoner.

The point is, there really is a sense of playful fun that comes through the movie, and it doesn't distract from when it's time to get down to the gruesome business of blood and violence.

It's a really hard line to ride and I can appreciate that. While things like the acting aren't stellar, they're at least acceptable for horror and on par with what you'd expect from campy nonsense like this.

*SPOILERS!!!*

How the fuck did the infected bum make it all the way to the reservoir while he was on fire? Look, from what they tried to relay in this movie, it wasn't exactly a short hike. But shit, even if it’s a stone’s throw away...the guy was on fucking FIRE! You are telling me that he managed to run over a football field away, without dropping to the ground from the sheer pain or the heat from the flames sucking the air out of his lungs? I get it, everyone has to get infected, but it's not like you wrote yourself into a corner. It would have literally had the exact same effect if the bum wandered off and fell in the reservoir. He didn't even have to do that. He just had to vomit blood all over one of the main characters and the movie would go on just fine.

Why the fuck did the character Jeff come back to the cabin? Seriously. There was zero reason for him to not just head straight for the highway and trade a couple of his beers for a ride. Jesus, he probably could have just walked back to town and got a ride. The locals were still pretty neutral to him and the group at that point so it shouldn't have been a problem.

Why the hell did the deputy dump Paul's dead infected body in the river? Fucking seriously. The sheriff was like, "We're gonna have to burn them all." But for some fucking reason, the movie ends with us panning out on Paul's dead body, blood flowing into the river which kids are sourcing for their lemonade stand.

This movie did do one thing that really fucking annoyed me. It kept almost but not quite ending. You know what I mean? When the plot seems to have resolved itself and the screen goes black and you're expecting the credits to roll, but the it just opens up on another scene. Like Lord of the Rings. Pick a strong spot, fade to black, roll fucking credits. Tie up loose ends in the fucking sequel if you fucking have to.

Otherwise this was actually a pretty fun little movie. I give it my full recommendations.