Soundtrack

Cabin Fever

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Creeping Death has never seemed so good (so good, so good):  Cabin Fever

by Christian De Matteo

HUGE

First, it must be said that this is one of the most incredibly disgusting films ever made for mainstream distribution.  Stomach chortling, turning, vomitously, outrageously disgusting.  And on top of that, it’s f***ing gross.

But, other than that-- and because of that-- the movie is fantastic, absolutely one of the best horror films I’ve seen in a good long time.  Now, I did love Freddy Vs. Jason, but as far as I was concerned that was a bloody, disgusting comedy.  Cabin Fever is a horror movie… capitol H.  While there are funny moments (including a rather elongated one that is most of the ending… don’t worry, it absolutely works), the film is first and foremost Horror. 

There is suspense, but this is not a Suspense movie.  Initially, the suspense is used minimally (and wonderfully) in the beginning, as we learn about the flesh-eating virus that is the monster of this movie.  After that point, the film uses suspense to give incredible amounts of slow, slow, sloooooooow burn tension to some of the most revolting reveals ever filmed.  (Keep a careful eye out for some slightly overemphasized squishy sounds and you’ll know exactly whereof I speak.)

Writer/Director Eli Roth and writer Randy Pearlstein take a very minimalist plot-- five teens drive out to hick country, rent a cabin in the woods for getting high and screwing, and slowly begin contracting a flesh-eating disease-- and keep it minimalist, but not to a fault.  Easily this skimpy plot-line could have run out of steam and ended like a car running out of gas.  It doesn’t. though.  Instead Roth and Pearlstein throw in little subplots, never overwhelming and always interesting, that add new dimensions to the film and, most importantly new threats.  These kids don’t only have to deal with their skin rotting off their bodies, but also with zealously territorial hicks, law enforcement, violently dangerous animals, car trouble and each other.  None of these aspects are distracting, but instead do a beautiful job upping the ante on this already high-wired descent into gore, death and karma.

Karma?  Where 28 Days Later… makes its statement about the inherent evil of all humans (particularly horny men), Cabin Fever is the ultimate “What-goes-around-comes-around” flick.  Keep careful track of the decisions made by each character and watch what gets them and how.  Then keep an eye out for the truck driver.  Then watch the very, slightly funny end.  Each and every character in the film reaps just what they sew so perfectly that no fault can be found in the logic anywhere.

Which leads me to the next excellent feature of this movie:  Everything follows through.  Unlike most horror movies where things just kind of appear and are used, or plot twists come out of nowhere, Cabin Fever sets up everything×  A spear used twenty minutes from the end, is carved sharp fifteen minutes into the movie, but very quietly so you might not even remember.

Finally, the acting.  Fantastic, complete with a real stranger to the horror genre… character development.  The characters, rather than being exactly the way they were before the crisis, change, react and alter in the situation, making for some very interesting and unexpected character developments.

Overall, Cabin Fever is a resounding genre success, a perfect up-yours to the Kevin Williamson-ilk Scream crap that had, much like a flesh-eating virus, rotted away the horror industry.

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