The Cabin in the Woods/Alien: Earth

The Cabin in the Woods

Five friends head out for a weekend in a remote house deep in the forest, unaware that a group of technicians with an unknown purpose is monitoring them through cameras and subjecting them to a deadly test.

A 2012 thriller that, truth be told, made quite an impact at the time. Deservedly so?

I believe yes. Although it starts from a fairly familiar premise, it managed to be original and bring something fresh to the thrillers of that decade. It successfully blends slasher and torture porn films, zombie movies, and Japanese horror, while the final act is a feast for the eyes, full of blood 🩸 and a clever yet meaningful commentary on the voyeuristic nature of cinema.

Despite being Drew Goddard’s directorial debut, and despite a few missteps, it works very well. Even if I personally was not particularly scared by the film, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

One of Chris Hemsworth’s earliest roles, if not his first, with performances overall that did not blow me away, but perhaps that was part of the point.

A film that does not take itself too seriously and succeeds in entertaining you. It avoids the usual conventions and does so deliberately, with plenty of irony and Easter eggs for fans of the genre.

The cinematography and lighting could have been better, especially in the first part of the film, and I think that depending on reception and point of view, it is a film that divides audiences.

If you have not seen it, I recommend it. You will have a great time, as long as you understand what it is trying to say 😉.

Alien: Earth

The story is set in the year 2120, two years before the events of the first film, in a dystopian world controlled by five corporate giants. The plot begins with the crash of the space cargo ship USCSS Maginot on Earth, an event that releases dangerous alien life forms and triggers a chain of developments that threaten global balance.

🟢🟢🟢🟢

• I found the initial idea of moving the entire setting to Earth excellent, something we had not seen before.
• The new Alien creatures introduced by the series were interesting, especially the “eye”, an excellent choice.
• It raises strong thematic questions about human identity, conflict with technology, and corruption of power, and dives deeper into the overall lore of the Alien franchise.
• The cast is generally quite good.
• Solid directorial work.
• The production design worked well in several parts.
• It maintains respect for Alien as a franchise.

🔴🔴🔴🔴

• The pacing is uneven and does the series a disservice. At times it is quite slow.
• The ending disappointed me, because regardless of whether it continues or not, it left most questions unanswered and felt somewhat rushed.
• Some performances could have been better.
• The editing is confusing in several places.
• The script has its issues.
• In other parts, I found the production design weak.