Knock at the Cabin, the movie

The Novel: The Cabin at the End of the World

The Cabin at the End of the World" is a 2018 horror novel by Paul Tremblay.

I have not yet read the book. It has been on my reading list for a long time now. I will read this book one day.

The story follows a forty-year-old couple, Andrew and Eric, and their adopted 7-year-old daughter Wen who leave their home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, behind to spend a vacation at a cabin in the middle of nowhere. Their family vacation becomes a nightmare when strangers arrive and claim that the world's end is near. The situation is apocalyptic as they demand that the family make an impossible decision to stave off the apocalypse.

The novel is a striking work of psychological horror and unblinking terror that takes the home invasion subgenre and gives it a fresh premise that makes for a read that's both engaging and thought-provoking.

It does explore themes of faith and religion, and the strangers who arrive at the cabin use religious ideas to justify their actions. However, it is not a retelling of a specific biblical story.

The Movie: Knock at the Cabin

"Knock at the Cabin" is a 2023 American apocalyptic psychological horror film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, known for his twist endings and supernatural themes. The film premiered in New York City on January 30th, 2023, and was theatrically released on February 3rd, 2023. The film has a runtime of 97 minutes and is rated R for violence and language.

The film stars Ben Aldridge as Eric, Jonathan Groff as Andrew, Dave Bautista as Leonard, Nikki Amuka-Bird as Sabrina, Rupert Grint as Redmond, and Millie Bobby Brown as Wen.

You can watch the trailer below:

It has been pulling in an impressive 49 million since its debut on Friday, February 3, 2023. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 67% based on 310 reviews with an average rating of 6.3/10 and an audience score of 65%.

I was been told that the film is different from the book. It is based in several ways. Some death was far more gruesome and full of screaming in the book, but it was almost peaceful in the movie. The film also has a more conclusive ending than the book.

My Thoughts

I just finished the movie. It was good, but I want to see something more authentic feel to it, making me believe it is so real. Well, it did boggle my mind away. I wonder when that would come to that day!

Imagine those strangers approaching me one day; they tell me that the world will end, and they have a vision. Then they would ask for my help and want me to say that I would sacrifice myself to save the world. I would say, “Whoa. Wait a minute. Ok, let's be realistic here. What you are asking me is a lot,” and then, “Let’s say I believe you because the world has already gone crazy. Climate change is real. I believe Earth is starting to feel discomfort; I would shake up and try to itch it off! But is the world ending? That is far-reaching.” I would ask for real hard evidence other than showing what is happening on the TV news.

As you know, the world has gone through a lot worse from time to time in our history. We have gone through many wars, natural disasters, pandemics, and famines. These are just a few. Yet, we are still standing here today. However, I do believe that something greater will come that has not been done before. But I still probably would not believe them right away that world is ending because it is a lot to absorb, would end many lives as we know it, and would be a waste.

Anyway, FYI, this movie has a light reference to the biblical apocalypse, but not the same one that was told in Revelation in the bible. The ‘horsemen’ were mentioned in the film, as of when during the movie, but it is the opposite story of what was said in the Bible.

The "horsemen" referred to in the Bible are the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, described in the Book of Revelation as being sent by God to bring about the end of the world. Each horseman is associated with a different color horse, representing a different aspect of the apocalypse: conquest, war, famine, and death.

In the story and movie, four strangers have a vision and try to save the world (Spoiler: Andrew mentions them - those horsemen are malice, nurturing, healing, & guidance). But it did not say if they were sent a vision by God, though. It did make me curious about where they did get a vision from.

I would say I give it a ⭐⭐⭐. I think you should stream it.