Reviews
‘Knock At The Cabin’ (2023) Review
Are you there God? It’s me, Dave Bautista.
A New Movie From Director M. Night Shyamalan
M. Night Shyamalan’s movies make me feel weird. Not weird in the sense that they astound me or are bafflingly strange or terrifically bad, simply that they don’t seem to hit me with their divisiveness.
Since I was a young filmgoer on Al Gore’s internet, I have heard every joke about M. Night Shyamalan’s career. We all know the man has an exaggerated reputation. Once Hollywood’s darling, now its greatest punching bag, I genuinely feel apprehensive about covering his work because of the unnecessary aggression many people have towards him and his filmmaking, both in defense and in attacking his oeuvre. There’s a need among critics at this point to mythologize Shyamalan’s work in a way that is, honestly, just kind of annoying.
The Emotional Disconnect of Shyamalan’s Horror Films
Because I sometimes feel mentally broken looking at them. Especially with his horror films, and especially waiting for my hatred or love of them to sink in. And neither happens. They’re just fine. Even The Happening, reviled as one of the best “so-bad-its-good” horror movies, is sort of just a void to me. I’ve seen it twice, and it doesn’t do much either way.
They’re okay. Devil was fine. The Visit was fine. Split was fine. Everything he does to me, is just fine.
All of this very long preamble is to say my voice as a critic tells me Knock at the Cabin is much of the same, and if you have strong inclinations about Shyamalan’s filmmaking like many do, this film is a pendulum that will swing in your direction.
A Cast of Heavy Hitters Led by Dave Bautista
For the uninformed, Knock at the Cabin is based on the acclaimed Paul Tremblay novel The Cabin at the End of the World. It follows couple Eric (Jonathan Groff) and Andrew (Ben Aldridge) who, while on vacation with adopted daughter Wen (Kristen Cui), find themselves besieged by a doomsday cult that holds them captive. Led by the awkward giant of a man, Leonard (Dave Bautista), and united by visions of the apocalypse that force them to choose which among them will be sacrificed to stop the world’s end.
This cast, rightfully, piqued a good deal of people’s interests. Many have been curious to see Bautista take on more serious roles, and for those excited about that prospect, you will enjoy yourself. He wonderfully inhabits the character of Leonard, a violently neurodivergent doomsayer burdened by a task he believes wholeheartedly. The role is meaty enough for him to work with but not so distracting that he detracts from anyone else in the cast. His companions, played by Nikki Amuka-Bird, Rupert Grint, and Abby Quinn, are also good, barring some awkward line deliveries, but we’ll get back to them soon.
Strong Chemistry, Underutilized Characters
As for Eric and Andrew, Groff and Aldridge have undeniable onscreen chemistry, making a very believable pair; Aldridge is the calloused human rights attorney, while Groff is his much more softhearted husband, and the two balance each other nicely. But for some reason, the two are not particularly compelling in their struggle until their final scene together, which itself is marred by some ham-fisted dialogue despite being ultimately touching. I think it’s because the movie doesn’t give them much to do until the final act, with most of their speaking lines coming from flashbacks to difficult times in Eric and Andrew’s relationship. As a result, much of the onus to entertain and astound is on Bautista’s suicide cult.
The Cult’s Dynamic: A Missed Opportunity
And that’s another hiccup. One of the conceits of how the cult operates hurts what I like the most about the supporting cast; their nervous energy works well off one another, with all the actors’ dread bouncing off electrically as they trade lines. But it doesn’t last that long because…
They begin killing each other to initiate the very real plagues that will destroy everything. Which is an interesting idea, but in practice deprives us of a lot of great character interactions that I’m assuming were in the book and condensed down to a sub-2-hour runtime. While those developments on the ground shaking and the sky falling can be scary, it seems to ignore the human interactions we’re here for.
A Serviceable Script with Thematic Depth
The script is tight, and serviceable for the most part, except for some strange line choices. Thematically the movie isn’t overly ponderous or paper thin, it communicates its thoughts on the thin line that can sometimes appear between faith and delusion quite well, and the weight of the sacrifice is never diminished. The choice to utilize flashback segments wasn’t one I can outright call bad, but they don’t add enough of an emotional punch, or at least don’t add anything that wasn’t already present. The script is fine.
An original score that can ratchet up some of the tension in a film where it’s not always present is an aspect of the film I can appreciate. As far as technical praise goes, the lighting works in tandem with the set design nicely. On the other hand, there’s somewhat obnoxious camerawork that emphasizes a lot of very dire close-ups of characters. The movie opens with one of these, and it’s a few minutes long, shot reverse shot of two faces right next to each other. I understand what they’re trying to communicate, Leonard encroaching on Wen’s space and getting down to her level, but it just feels too literal, and the insistence on pulling in on every character’s face at least once gets tired.
Cinematography and Editing: Perfectly Fine
The editing is good, while some of the CGI is a bit distracting on a large scale and the small scale (I still don’t get why we’re using CGI blood for simple gunshot wound effects in 2023, but I know that’s just a personal gripe). Can you guess which two words I would ascribe to the cinematography? Right-o, reader: it’s fine.
I’m torn, as usual. In the end, Wen’s promise to her jar of grasshoppers feels like a reflection of my thoughts on Knock At The Cabin: this movie felt like I was here to learn about these people, and learn I did. For some that will be enough; for others, this will be another exercise in disliking Shyamalan’s work. But at the end of the day, I’m not sure if this character study will stick with me, or if it has much rewatch value. It’s a thriller with its fair share of positives and negatives, but it is ultimately no world-rending serpent or rapturous hand of God when it comes to the genre. Still, it’s worth at least one watch, so check it out and see how you feel.
Within the found footage subgenre exists an even more niche and untapped market. Screen life has slowly overtaken found footage; hardcore fans, like myself, ache for something different. One of the more interesting sub-subgenres of found footage is something that I don’t think has a name yet, so let’s name it here and now. How about…TV-gone-rogue! The TV-gone-rogue subgenre is small. Ghostwatch got the ball rolling for these gone rogue-like films, but there was radio silence for quite some time. It would be Chris LaMartina’s WNUF Halloween Special that really brought this idea back into the limelight. Many filmmakers have tried to make TV-gone-rogue interesting, and many have failed. That is until Simon Glassman stepped onto the scene with Buffet Infinity.
Buffet Infinity: A Chaotic Tale of Westridge
The town (city?) of Westridge is whisked into chaos when the new Buffet Infinity restaurant rolls into town. Local sandwich shop owner Jennifer Avery (Allison Bench) is the first to take the soon-to-be conglomerate to task with increasingly pointed advertisements. Suddenly, local restaurant owners/workers go missing in droves as Buffet Infinity expands into neighboring businesses. Sinkholes, missing cityfolk, quarantines, and mysterious sounds abound, leaving residents to ask one question…who really has the sauce?
On the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival schedule, the header image for Buffet Infinity shows multiple people T-posing and floating in the sky. I was immediately sold. I had no clue what I was getting into, and I didn’t want to know. The film was introduced as “one of the craziest we have this year.” (Slightly paraphrasing.) What was I about to watch? Little did I know, it was about to be an hour and forty minutes of small-town madness.
Writers Allison Bench and Elisia Snyder, and writer-director Simon Glassman, transport viewers into an upside down world of weaponized local ads; a thriving town invaded by the deep pockets of monopolized capitalism. As someone who grew up in a decently sized town, though probably not large enough to be considered a city, there was a tinge of nostalgia that accompanied Buffet Infinity. Westridge feels cozy and intimate, a town where everyone knows your name. It’s a “baked in a buttery flaky crust” town. Sure, they have their McDonald’s and Burger Kings, but the real townsfolk eat at Jennifer’s sandwich shop–local knitting circles murmur about what they think is in Jennifer’s secret sauce. Simply put, Westridge feels like a home that many people like myself grew up in. And it reminds us of a simpler time that’s long gone.
A Unique Blend of Humor and Eldritch Terror
Buffet Infinity hides its horror well. It slowly guides the viewer into a sense of unease. As easily as the creators have you laughing, they have you squirming. The absurdist joy quickly transforms into Eldritch terrors from beyond. Many filmmakers say they’re inspired by the idea of it’s-not-what-you-see that’s scary, but many times it feels performative. Bench, Glassman, and Snyder have crafted a truly special script that edges you with terror and excitement. They constantly push you to the edge of release, and then back away. It’s the Japanese water torture of exposition. And, for me, it works incredibly well.
One of the most important aspects of Buffet Infinity is the over-capitalization of our lives. While the creators tackle this idea in a tongue-in-cheek manner, their message is highly effective. For the most part. This constant tete-a-tete between Buffet Infinity and the locals is highly amusing, but brings a larger conversation to the forefront. The town I grew up in is a shadow of what it once was. And I know many feel the same about the towns they grew up in. I can already hear the moans of people who dislike this film: “Brandon, it’s not that deep.” And I would highly disagree. Buffet Infinity feels like a reflective protest film–a loud and proud middle finger at what we should have said when the Super Walmart put mom and pops out of business.
Sorry, this review has gone off the rails. Let’s reel it back in a bit.
Why Buffet Infinity Redefines Found Footage
Buffet Infinity is a riotous romp, a hilarious horror that goes from zero to 100 pretty damn fast. Each commercial slowly builds on its last and uniquely tells its story. This film sets a new precedent for the TV-gone-rogue subgenre. Not to directly compare, but a film like WNUF Halloween Special (a film I love) uses its commercials as a coda; it’s a separation of what you saw/heard and prepares you for the next movement. Buffet Infinity uses its commercial to create the story. Instead of watching news pieces, then irrelevant commercials, then back to news pieces, Buffet Infinity breaks the mold. Hell, it creates the mold.
As someone who has been dying to see a Welcome to Nightvale film, Buffet Infinity is the closest thing I could ask for. It is full of killer performances (looking at you, Ahmed Ahmed), is well-crafted, and sets a new precedent on an underutilized side of found footage. Buffet Infinity is a full-course meal. I highly suspect that Buffet Infinity will gather the unwavering support that Hundreds of Beavers gathered and will go on to be considered an instant classic of the 2020s.
We are all very much aware of how much time we spend on our phones. More importantly, anyone on the internet can see how younger generations are impacted by being constantly online. So, Zack Ogle and Aaron Pagniano’s new film, It Needs Eyes, is preaching to the choir. However, it adds creepy layers to the conversations many of us are already having today.
It Needs Eyes follows a teen named Rowan (Raquel Lebish) who is moving in with her aunt after a traumatic event. Her aunt Mella (Lydia Fiore) hasn’t spoken to the family in years. So, her relationship with her niece is strained to say the least. However, she has stepped in now that Rowan’s father is in the hospital. Further widening their divide is the fact that Rowan is glued to her phone.
The Internet Is Scary
We see Rowan watching random videos, as she tries to distract herself from her own thoughts while she worries about her father. However, soon, cat videos aren’t doing it for her, and she starts to find extreme videos online. Things escalate to the point that she is watching self-harm videos and clips of people dying. This addiction begins to make it hard for her to connect with the people around her, including her new neighbor and love interest, Alex (Isadora Leiva).
It Needs Eyes has a protagonist that many can relate to. After all, aren’t we all using these smart devices to hide from our own problems? Who among us hasn’t lost an embarrassing amount of hours watching videos and reels? However, because it’s driving in the internet addiction lane, Rowan’s need for content escalates. She needs darker videos in the same way that someone makes the leap into harder drugs. Her journey parallels nicely with her father’s battle with addiction, which is one of the many things Rowan doesn’t seem ready to face.
Addiction and Loneliness are a Deadly Combo
Rowan’s addiction, loneliness, and inability to fully connect with people not on her phone eventually leads her to stumble across the ultimate score. She discovers a woman named Fishtooth (Lola Blanc) who made videos in the 80s and seemingly disappeared. Rowan cannot let this mystery go and soon begins to follow clues that Fishtooth may be closer than she thinks. This is where the creepy mystery thread begins to weave itself around all of the other threads of the film. Before Fishtooth was introduced, I was starting to worry this movie would just be seven fucked up images in a trench coat.
It Needs Eyes is one of those movies you go back and forth on. I loved discussing the themes of it in the bar after the Brooklyn Horror Film Fest screening. I even really dug some of the twisted imagery and topics it manages to tackle. The movie deserves some respect for how it handles so many issues surrounding internet culture without straying too far from its path. If you’re looking for a dark exploration of how the internet is absorbing us and preventing us from being present in our actual lives, this is your movie. It’s an interesting and at times disturbing reminder that we should all unplug more often.
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