Blu-ray Review: KNOCK AT THE CABIN

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May 09, 2023 Posted by Kyle Nolan in DVD/Blu-ray, Reviews | Comments

Couple Eric (Jonathan Groff, Mindhunter) and Andrew (Ben Aldridge, Spoiler Alert) are enjoying a family vacation at a remote cabin in Pennsylvania with their adopted 7-year-old daughter Wen (Kristen Cui). However, their peaceful retreat comes to a swift end when they receive a knock on the door from four strangers who insist on talking to them and won’t take No for an answer. The leader of the group is a 2nd grade teacher Leonard (Dave Bautista, Guardians of the Galaxy), who is joined by nurse Sabrina (Nikki Amuka-Bird, Avenue 5), gas company worker Redmond (Rupert Grint, Servant, Harry Potter), and line cook Adriane (Abby Quinn, Mad About You). These strangers all found one another after having similar visions of an upcoming apocalypse. Leonard explains to Eric and Andrew that they have most important job in the history of the world—whether or not the apocalypse happens is completely up to them. In order to stop the end of the world from happening, Eric, Andrew or Wen must willingly sacrifice themselves. If they choose not to make a sacrifice or don’t do so before time runs out, a series of natural disasters will occur, and everyone and everything on the planet will die—all except for their family of three, who will live out their lives on the decimated world. However, if one of them makes the tough decision to sacrifice themselves, the rest of the planet will be spared.

Andrew, a non-believer and cynic immediately thinks Leonard and the other horsemen are crazy, and specifically targeted his family as some sort of hate crime. Eric also doubts Leonard’s claims, but he grew up in the Catholic faith and seems a little more open to the possibility that some of what Leonard is saying could be true. Leonard and the others go to extreme measures as they desperately try to convince Eric and Andrew of their important role, talking in great detail of their visions, and showing them live news coverage on the TV as some of the cataclysmic events start to play out in hopes of providing some proof of what they have been saying. While Eric is steadfast in his resolve to keep his family together, he worries that these horsemen may be able to convince Eric to drink the Kool-Aid, and makes his own case. As the clock ticks towards a possible irreversible end, it becomes a battle of wills, faith, hope and love. Do they selfishly choose to keep their own family intact at the possible expense of humanity, or do they selflessly sacrifice one of their own in the possibility that it may save the planet?

Knock at the Cabin is based on Paul Tremblay’s book, “The Cabin at the End of the World”, though several changes have been made to how the events play out. The film is a pretty solid home invasion meets the apocalypse thriller. As Eric and Andrew debate with the horsemen and among themselves as to what choice they should make, the film constantly flashes back to the past to show some of the struggles, hate and bigotry the couple faced as they date, explain their union to their parents, and try to start their own family. These scenes also help to explain the mindset both Andrew and Eric are in as they are put in this impossible position. Meanwhile, each of the horsemen tries to explain their own situation, sometimes coming off as crazy cult members, but other times more like captives trying to warm up to to the person who took them hostage in hopes that they won’t kill them. Both sides give some compelling arguments as to which way Andrew and Eric should choose…especially an impassioned speech by Andrew asking why should they have to sacrifice themselves to save people who hate them?!

While most of the cast deliver strong performances, I thought this was one of the best I have seen by Dave Bautista. Despite his massive and intimidating stature, Leonard knows that he must keep a calm and gentle composure if he’s ever going to convince these people to willingly make a sacrifice. Bautista really delivers on this gentle giant role.

While I enjoyed the film overall, I wasn’t really blown away. It is much more straightforward than M. Night Shyamalan’s usually more-twisty tales. The only real question is whether or not Leonard and the other horsemen are telling the truth, and if they made up this whole story, then why? While there is this nice overall tension to the situation, things pretty much play out as expected. Another thing that bugs me is Shyamalan’s insistence on doing cameos in his own films—these always take me out of the movie, even though this time he’s just in an informercial on the TV. That said, Shyamalan does give this film an interesting and unique visual style. The opening credits and score feel like a classic 60s horror movie, and shots are interestingly composed, making use of increasingly more extreme close-ups to build the tension and explore the mentality and motivations of the characters. Often any gore or violence happens just outside of the frame, captured in the audio, but leaving the details up to the imagination. I found this to be a creative way to build the horror.

Universal has released the film on both 4K disc and Blu-ray. We were sent the latter for review. The Blu-ray looks and sounds amazing. The video is pristine, with a clean and clear picture that provides an excellent level of detail throughout. This is particularly noticeable in the extreme close-ups where pores in faces can really be seen—I can’t imagine the 4K version looking that much clearer. Besides the flashbacks, the rest of the film primarily takes place in the cabin, and the lighting and color palette help to keep things varied and interesting. The audio track provides clear dialogue throughout and makes excellent use of the Atmos track to give an immersive viewing experience. This is especially noticeable in the opening as Wen is playing outside and the chirping of insects and sounds of nature all around instantly transport the viewer into this setting. It is also quite noticeable as the horsemen call to the family and attempt to break into the cabin from all different directions.

The Blu-ray and DVD discs come packed in either side of a standard HD keepcase, along with an embossed carboard slipcover, and an insert containing a code to redeem an HD MA digital copy of the film on one side and a Universal Rewards code on the other. The discs also contain about 35 minutes of behind-the-scenes featurettes with the cast and crew, four deleted/extended scenes, and the full infomercial starring M. Night Shyamalan.

What’s Included:

Film: (1:40:08)

1080p / Widescreen 2.39:1
Audio: English Dolby Atmos, English DVS (Descriptive Video Service), Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

DVD:

480i / Anamorphic Widescreen 2.39:1
Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Digital, English DVS (Descriptive Video Service), Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French, Mandarin (Traditional), Korean

Digital (code may not be valid after 6/30/2024):

HD Digital Copy (Movies Anywhere compatible)
Universal All-Access Rewards Code (Offer may not be valid after 6/30/2024)
Code can be redeemed for points towards a free digital movie via the Universal All-Access Rewards program. The selection of about a dozen digital titles usually changes around the first of every month.

Extras:
Play All, or select from:

Deleted Scenes (5:35)
Play All, or select from:
- They Need Some Time (1:31)
  At college, Eric tells his friends that his parents won’t accept him and that they won’t pay for the rest of his school. This is followed by Eric’s parents showing up at his door some unspecified time later to reconcile and give him the rest of his education money.
- Going to Church (1:34)
  Eric removes his wedding ring before heading into church to pray.
- Enjoying the Sun (:56)
  Eric and Andrew try to relax on the deck of the cabin, but Eric is anxious to check on Wen.
- Leonard Explains (1:31)
  Leonard explains the situation to a tied up Andrew and Eric.
Chowblaster Infomercial — Extended (1:10)
The full infomercial for the Chowblaster air fryer oven—starring M. Night Shyamalan—that can be seen playing in the background of one scene.
Choosing Wisely: Behind the Scenes of Knock At The Cabin (23:37)
The cast and crew talk about how the film came about, the premise and characters, how the story differs from the book, casting openly gay actors, revolving the story around a same sex parented family, putting the heightened emotions of the characters into their performances, the dynamics between the characters, working with director Night and the other actors, the filming process, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director/producer M. Night Shyamalan, producer Ashwin Rajan, costume designer Caroline Duncan, and stars Nikki Amuka-Bird (“Sabrina”), Dave Bautista (“Leonard”), Jonathan Groff (“Eric”), Rupert Grint (“Redmond”), Abby Quinn (“Adriane”) & Ben Aldridge (“Andrew”).
Tools of the Apocalypse (5:03)
The filmmakers discuss designing and creating the hoods and weapons wielded by the Four Horsemen. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director/producer M. Night Shyamalan, costume designer Caroline Duncan, production designer Naaman Marshall, property master Robbie Duncan, and stars Abby Quinn & Rupert Grint.
Drawing a Picture (3:36)
The cast and crew discuss M. Night Shyamalan’s extensive storyboarding process. Includes behind-the-scenes and storyboard footage, and interviews with storyboard artist Brick Mason, director/producer M. Night Shyamalan, production designer Naaman Marshall, costume designer Caroline Duncan, and stars Dave Bautista & Jonathan Groff.
Kristen Cui Shines a Light (3:46)
The cast and crew talk about working with Kristen Cui in her acting debut. Includes behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with director/producer M. Night Shyamalan, and stars Kristen Cui (“Wen”), Jonathan Groff & Ben Aldridge.

Final Thoughts:

My Rating

Film:

Video:

Audio:

Extras:

Recommended

Knock at the Cabin is a pretty solid thriller, but a little more straightforward than what you would typically expect from a twisty M. Night Shyamalan movie. It is a very dialogue heavy film that crosses a home invasion thriller with an end-of-the-world story, and pits the main characters with an impossible decision. I think Dave Bautista fans will be really pleased with his strong performance that shows a more dramatic side to the actor. Universal’s Blu-ray release looks and sounds excellent and includes a solid selection of bonus material. For those on the fence, the film is currently streaming on Peacock. Digital retailers are also having an excellent sale on the film this week.