The premise of this movie feels more of a thought experiment, providing contemplation and consideration over genuine scares, even with a weaker story than the source novel that inspired it. There is little actual horror, one or two notably tense scenes, but the majority of any violence or gore is kept or implied offscreen. The film and novel both allude to some form of global apocalypse, with news footage and reports briefly seen, but the entirety of the action is contained around the cabin, telling a more intimate story about family, love and sacrifice.The acting is excellent across the board, with Dave Bautista providing a standout performance, playing against type and delivering a truly moving character study. M. Night Shyamalan is inarguably a skilled director,many of the shots in this film are downright gorgeously shot, and he is demonstrably better at working with other people’s material than writing his own. Unfortunately, this film is easily 40 minutes too long, and in dire need of an editor’s scythe. The film opts to jettison much of the novel’s ambiguity and deeper symbolism in favor of a far easier narrative, which feels somewhat unsatisfying. For a story centered on uncertainty and moral ambiguity, the film offers a sanitized and easy out. As it stands, this is a poor adaptation of better material, but a decent movie that’s nowhere near as deep or challenging as it needed to be.
Knock at the Cabin (2023)