Dir. M. Night Shyamalan | Now Streaming On: Prime | Rating: 3/5

I try to review buzzy films as quickly as I can to try to catch the trend train, but Knock at the Cabin left such a horrible heaviness in my chest I put off writing this review. Knock at the Cabin tackles the question of belief and the power of fear in a raw and uncomfortable way. Not a perfect film by any means, Knock at the Cabin kept me thinking long after I left the theater. ⁠
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I have a complicated relationship with having children, so stories centering around having kids are a very sensitive topic for me. I spent most of this film crying. The unthinkable question presented is one that has crossed all of our minds at some point. Is there anyone or anything that you are truly comfortable dying for?⁠
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There are lots of complaints about M. Night’s scriptwriting, but I felt this wasn’t that clunky. It might’ve been because I was too engrossed in the story. I didn’t read Cabin at the End of The World, so I really didn’t know where this was going. But I did catch onto the symbolism of the Four Horsemen and predicted the twist pretty early on. ⁠
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One of the most poignant elements of this film is the writing of Andrew, who is riddled with both trauma and guilt for his choices as a gay man. His trauma response is so realistic and believable, I felt myself feeling right alongside him as a trauma survivor. The parallels between his behavior in the cabin and his trauma is gut wrenching and well done. Seeing Dave Bautista in a serious role alongside this storyline was definitely a nice touch. ⁠
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Because I didn’t read the book, I consulted with @reviews_by_tom before rating this film. The film takes a few strides away from its source material, ultimately weakening its ability to really “go there.” Knock at the Cabin stumbles to its finish, leaving the audience beaten and unsatisfied. I won’t be rewatching this, but it is far from the weakest of M. Night’s resume. ⁠
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Know Before You Watch: Features depictions of suicide, blood, gore, depictions of hate crimes. ⁠