--- title: "The Cabin in the Woods: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-cabin-in-the-woods/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-cabin-in-the-woods" critics_score: 72 critics_reviews: 29 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Cabin in the Woods (2012): what the critics said Critics' score 72 from 29 reviews: 22 positive, 5 mixed, 2 negative. Most critics welcome The Cabin in the Woods as a funny, inventive examination of horror conventions that also enjoys putting them to use. Praise clusters around the witty script, its handling of familiar clichés and its questions about why audiences enjoy watching people suffer. Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford receive particular praise for their comic performances, while the effects and action also find admirers. The favourable reviews tend to see affection for horror beneath the mockery. The sharpest disagreement concerns whether any of this is frightening. Some critics find that the humour strengthens the scares; others say the knowing jokes prevent dread from taking hold. Characterisation also divides opinion, with responses ranging from involvement to frustration at stock figures. The spread is wide: The Hollywood Reporter rejects the film’s cleverness as self-indulgent and finds it only occasionally funny, while even several enthusiastic reviews acknowledge that the horror suffers. ## Time Out Rating 5/5. 22 November 2011. The review hails the film as one of the most original and entertaining movies of the year, a smart deconstruction of horror tropes that is both funny and thrilling. It praises the snappy dialogue from Whedon and Goddard's assured direction of the action set-pieces. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-cabin-in-the-woods) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 10 March 2012. Festival review. The review describes the film as sublimely scary and satisfying, with slick thrills, a clever witty script and strong production values that turn the horror genre on its head. It praises the playful determination to subvert expectations and the performances, especially from Jenkins, Whitford and the leads. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/the-cabin-in-the-woods/5039115.article) ## Total Film Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 9 April 2012. It is a postmodern celebration and dissection of the horror genre that blends familiar elements into vibrant entertainment, remaining shrewd and playful despite drawing on known tropes. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-cabin-in-the-woods-review/) ## Radio Times — Alan Jones Rating 4/5. The critic calls it a witty deconstruction of fantasy genres and a wonderful twist on the Evil Dead scenario that delivers continual surprises and monster mayhem. It singles out the blackly comic script and game-changing directorial vision for cementing the disparate elements into a captivating original. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-2j21ap/the-cabin-in-the-woods/) ## The Independent Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 16 April 2012. The film is a self-reflexive horror that both follows and examines genre conventions through clever twists. It functions as an efficient thrill machine while commenting on why audiences watch horror. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/the-cabin-in-the-woods-drew-goddard-95-mins-15-a1996531.html) ## The Times — Kate Muir Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 13 April 2012. Every scene is played with a knowing edge, and the layers of pastiche build up like light pastry, while delivering the traditional shocks, gore and laughter. The horror genre gets thoroughly and deservedly bent in the mode of the Scream series, but with more sophistication. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/the-cabin-in-the-woods-5mkk8m8vkmm) ## Empire — Dan Jolin Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 14 January 2011. Festival review. The meta-horror is a hoot that reverse-engineers clichés with glee and delivers a nutso final act, though it lacks strong characters and is not quite as sharp as Scream. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/cabin-woods-review/) ## Film Comment — Laura Kern Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). The film cleverly subverts the tired cabin-in-the-woods premise through playful deconstruction of horror tropes, making Scream look earnest by comparison. Its wink-wink sensibility reduces its ability to terrify while exploring why viewers enjoy others' suffering. [Read the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/article/short-takes-the-cabin-in-the-woods/) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 11 April 2012. The critic praises the film's bold, inventive subversion of horror tropes through its meta setup involving lab scientists controlling events, calling it an exciting puzzle for fans despite loose ends and stock characters. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-cabin-in-the-woods-2012) ## Sight and Sound — Kim Newman Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 20 December 2011. The critic praises the film's clever postmodern take on horror conventions through a meta-narrative involving ritual sacrifices and a control-room bureaucracy. It singles out the inventive monster mayhem and witty script for making the film engaging and funny, though notes it can feel too clever for its own good. [Read the review](http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/review/68263) ## Slant Magazine — Jaime N. Christley Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 8 April 2012. The film is a solid, crowd-pleasing lark with intelligent commentary and generous spirit, though overly cute and self-conscious. It succeeds as spectacle-for-spectacle’s-sake entertainment laced with geeky pleasures. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-cabin-in-the-woods/) ## The New Yorker — Bruce Diones Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 16 April 2012. The critic calls it an ingenious sendup that delivers creative bloody mayhem and twists for horror fans, deliberately prioritizing spirited, funny cliché-busting over traditional slow-burn scares. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/movies/the-cabin-in-the-woods-2) ## Variety — Peter Debruge Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 10 March 2012. Festival review. The critic hails it as a sly, self-aware subversion of slasher expectations with an ambitious, fresh high-concept twist that delivers unpredictable thrills, though noting some execution issues in the debut direction. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2012/film/markets-festivals/the-cabin-in-the-woods-1117947213/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 12 April 2012. This clever meta-horror asks what human need is fed by seeing hot youths get slaughtered, but it forgets to be properly scary. The film offers a shrewd, ingenious look at the programmatic elements of the genre, a satire that is also a lenient celebration, though it may disappoint those who would still like to be genuinely scared. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/apr/12/the-cabin-in-the-woods-review) ## Evening Standard Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 11 August 2013. It is an ultra-savvy film about horror films that delivers pulp thrills while deconstructing the genre, though it is not particularly scary and feels unsatisfying overall. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-cabin-in-the-woods-review-7640338.html) ## Los Angeles Times — Betsy Sharkey Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 13 April 2012. The critic sees the film as a tongue-in-cheek inside joke on horror tropes in the style of Buffy, with easy laughs but fewer genuine chills or dread due to its heavy emphasis on satire and references. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2012-apr-13-la-et-cabin-in-the-woods-20120413-story.html) ## The New York Times — A.O. Scott Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 12 April 2012. The critic finds the film clever and knowing in its deconstruction of horror clichés but notes that the overt cleverness undermines the scares, resulting in a mixed effort that does not fully succeed. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/13/movies/the-cabin-in-the-woods-by-drew-goddard-and-joss-whedon.html) ## Financial Times — Antonia Quirke Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 12 April 2012. The film isn’t a gamechanger any more than Jason and the Argonauts is today. Cabin is not a reboot or a satire or an attack – it’s the odd giggle; the satire on voyeurism and control here is just a plot device. [Read the review](https://www.ft.com/content/86b8c1d4-8481-11e1-b6f5-00144feab49a) ## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 9 March 2012. The critic finds the meta-horror too enamored of its own games to be scary, shrewd, or more than occasionally funny. It is a hollow exercise in self-reflexive cleverness that fails to work on its own terms as entertainment. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/cabin-woods-film-review-298129/) ## Den of Geek — Sarah Dobbs Rating 5/5. 8 March 2012. The film is a perfectly constructed shocker and possibly the ultimate horror movie, serving as a love letter to the genre. It rewards multiple viewings with its clever script, strong characters, and payoff in the final act. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-cabin-in-the-woods-review/) ## Collider — Matt Goldberg Rating A. 12 April 2012. The film is one of the sharpest satires of the horror genre, dissecting tropes and audience complicity through clever deconstruction rather than simple mockery. It singles out the witty, entertaining performances of Bradley Whitford and Richard Jenkins as the mission control figures for particular praise. [Read the review](https://collider.com/cabin-in-the-woods-review/) ## /Film — Russ Fischer Rating 9/10. 14 April 2012. The critic praises it as a spectacularly successful, clever and self-aware demolition of horror tropes that brings fun back to the genre. They single out the energetic script and workplace comedy elements for praise. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/520703/the-cabin-woods-review/) ## Digital Spy — Simon Reynolds Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 10 March 2012. Whedon and Goddard gleefully turn the horror movie on its head in an inventive way not seen since Scream, deconstructing clichés while celebrating the genre. The result is witty, scary and incredibly inventive with big surprises in the finale. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a367705/the-cabin-in-the-woods-review/) ## The Playlist — The Playlist Staff Rating B+. 11 April 2012. Festival review. The critic sees it as a smart, witty blast and neat subversion and celebration of horror that delivers scares, laughs and surprises. They single out the creature designs and third act for praise while noting some issues with a cast member. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/review-the-cabin-in-the-woods-is-a-smart-witty-blast-for-genre-fans-20120411/) ## HeyUGuys — Jon Lyus Rating 4/5. 10 March 2012. Festival review. The critic calls it one of the most enjoyable and interesting horror films of recent years, a clever witty subversion that rips up expectations with powerful twists. They single out Goddard's hold on conventions for praise. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/the-cabin-in-the-woods-review/) ## NME — Owen Nicholls Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 14 April 2012. The meta-comedy-horror is inventive, funny and genuinely bloody scary, making viewers care about the characters in a way that magnifies the scares. It shows what happens when the script does not write itself. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/blogs/the-movies-blog/the-cabin-in-the-woods-film-review-773378) ## The Skinny — Chris Fyvie Rating 4/5. 12 April 2012. The deliriously entertaining homage twists and shatters genre tropes with affection and glee, delivering a delightful concept through whip-smart dialogue and strong performances. It is not an effective horror film itself but offers plenty to enjoy. [Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/the-cabin-in-the-woods) ## The Wrap — Alonso Duralde Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 12 April 2012. The critic recommends seeing the film before spoilers ruin its surprises, praising its witty and scary take on the genre along with its efforts to make the characters interesting and funny rather than stereotypical. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/cabin-woods-review-see-it-someone-spoils-it-36992/) ## Eye for Film — Chris Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 13 April 2012. The critic finds it fast-paced and reasonably entertaining with impressive effects but questions whether it is any good overall. They single out the lack of psychological depth and the silly justification for the premise for complaint. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-cabin-in-the-woods-film-review-by-chris) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-cabin-in-the-woods.md