Horror Movie Review: The Cabin (2018)

The Cabin is the debut feature of Johan Bodell and sees a young American couple named Rose (Caitlin Crommett) and Harry (Christopher Lee Page) looking to rekindle their relationship. They plan to do this by visiting Harry’s family cabin in a remote part of the countryside.

Quickly it’s established that the pair’s relationship is in a bad way. They bicker nonstop and at times are verbally and physically abusive to each other. Truth be told they can barely tolerate each other and this getaway seems like a really bad idea.

…and it is but not just because their relationship is on the rocks. No, you see someone else has also decided to visit for the weekend. Someone with a different kind of relaxation in mind. Whatever Rose and Harry feel for each other right now stops being the problem when this other visitor comes knocking.

Devoid of originality, it’s easy to dismiss The Cabin off the cuff straight away but that would be an unwise decision as this Swedish horror/thriller is a very good film. A pedestrian story is freshened up by the couple in question pretty much hating each other’s guts which gives it a more unique twist.

How they truly feel about each other is put to the test when the local nut comes to pay them a visit. The psychotic neighbour played excellently by Erik Kammerland has no motives, he just seems to enjoy butchering and dismembering his victims.

This is shown in a staggeringly well-done scene. As emotional music plays out, we flip between Rose and Harry having a blazing row and the killer cutting up a body in gruesome fashion. This might be one of my favourite horror scenes of 2018, it’s that well done.

A lot of this can be put down to Caitlin Crommett and Christopher Lee Page. Who deliver convincing performances and make their relationship believable.

If The Cabin is found lacking it is in the final quarter of the movie where Rose is drawn into a cat and mouse style chase and realises that she does love Harry. Here it’s all a bit too standard slasher stuff to really enjoy.

A black mark on an otherwise exceptional horror and I’d love to know if the mask featured throughout is a nod to 1983 cult classic horror Curtains. It certainly looks very familiar!

The Cabin will be available on VOD/DVD December 4th 2018 from High Octane Pictures.