M. Night Shyamalan wrote and directed the American horror film, "Knock at the Cabin,"
The movie premiered on January 30, 2023, at the Rose Holl in New York City, and was released in theaters in the United States on February 3, 2023. It has since grossed over $40 million worldwide and received generally favorable reviews from critics.
ACTING
The acting in "Knock at the Cabin" is superb, with each actor delivering a powerful and nuanced performance. The young actress, Quinn McColgan, who plays Wen, steals the show with her convincing portrayal of a young girl caught up in a terrifying situation. The adult actors, Alex Wolff and Vicky Krieps, also deliver strong performances, as does the supporting
The plot of knock at cabin
The story is about a family, Wen, Eric, and Andrew, who are on vacation in a remote cabin in rural Pennsylvania. While catching grasshoppers, Wen is approached by a stranger named Leonard, who claims that he needs the family's help to save the world. However, Wen becomes suspicious when three other people appear with makeshift weapons.
The group of strangers, including Leonard, claim that they have been driven by visions and an unknown force to find the family. They foresee an impending apocalypse in which the only way to prevent is for the family to sacrifice one of their own. Eric and Andrew suspect that the group is lying and that the attack is motivated by hatred and delusion.
When the family refuses to make a choice, the visitors sacrifice one of their own, Redmond, by covering his head with a cloth and beating him to death with their weapons. The disasters continue, and the family remains indecisive. Andrew thinks that the four intruders, including Leonard, were seeking revenge on him.
The family eventually realizes that the events are real, and that the intruders represent the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Not wanting Wen to grow up in a destroyed world, Eric offers himself as the sacrifice. Reluctantly, Andrew shoots and kills Eric before lightning strikes, setting the cabin on fire.
Andrew and Wen later find the visitors' truck with belongings that corroborated their stories. They drive to a crowded diner nearby, where they watch news reports confirming that the disasters have subsided. Returning to the truck, the radio turns on and plays "Boogie Shoes" by KC and the Sunshine Band, the song Eric had played for them on their drive to the cabin.
Box office performance
"Knock at the Cabin" grossed $26 million in the United States and Canada, and $14.2 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $40.3 million.
The film made $5.4 million on its first day, including $1.5 million from Thursday night previews.
It debuted to $14.2 million, displacing Avatar: The Way of Water from atop the box office, and made $5.5 million in its second weekend (a drop of 61%), finishing in sixth.
Critical response
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 68% based on 290 reviews with an average rating of 6.3/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Although it's often less than scary and parts of the story don't bear scrutiny, Knock at the Cabin is a thought-provoking chiller and upper-tier Shyamalan."[30] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 63 out of 100, based on 59 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[31] Audiences surveyed by Cinema Score gave the film an average grade of "C" on an A+ to F scale, while those polled by Post Trak gave it a 56% positive score, with 35% saying they would definitely recommend it.[28]
Reviewing for RogerEbert.com, Nick Allen gave the film 2 out of 4 stars, commending the "rich and earthy" cinematography and Bautista's "disarming" performance, but ultimately finding the film "frustrating and self-serious", adding "M. Night Shyamalan should probably just stay away from the apocalypse."[32] For Evening Standard, Charlotte O'Sullivan found "many plot holes. The deeper issue, though, is that the supposedly complex home-invaders aren't given enough space to become interesting."[33] Wendy Ide for The Observer wrote, "As the film's bleak momentum builds, so does a tsunami swell of existential dread. It's Shyamalan's most contained and efficient picture in a while."[34] Stef Rubino for Auto straddle felt that "Like all of Shyamalan's greatest features, what unfolds throughout the course of the film is a family drama but on the grandest of scales.
Performance Box Office
Box office performance: As of September 2021, "Knock at the Cabin" has grossed a total of $47.5 million worldwide. In the United States and Canada, the film made $27.4 million, while it earned $20.1 million in other territories.
Opening weekend: The movie opened with $14.2 million in the United States and Canada, debuting at number one at the box office.
Second-weekend performance: In its second weekend, "Knock at the Cabin" dropped 61%, earning $5.5 million and finishing in sixth place at the box office.
Critical response: As of September 2021, "Knock at the Cabin" has a 67% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 292 reviews, with an average rating of 6.3/10. On Metacritic, the movie has a score of 63 out of 100 based on 59 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews."
Audience response: According to CinemaScore, audiences gave the movie an average grade of "C" on an A+ to F scale. Meanwhile, audiences surveyed by Post Trak gave the movie a 56% positive score, with 35% saying they would definitely recommend it.
Director: "Knock at the Cabin" was directed by M. Night Shyamalan, who is known for other movies such as "The Sixth Sense," "Split," and "Glass."
Summary for the Knock at the Cabin Movie
Awards and Nominations: "Knock at the Cabin" has been nominated for several awards, including Best Horror Film at the 2023 Saturn Awards, and Best Performance by a Younger Actor for Quinn McColgan at the 2023 Young Artist Awards.
Behind the Scenes: The film was directed and written by M. Night Shyamalan and produced by Jason Blum. It was shot on location in Pennsylvania, with a budget of $15 million. The film's composer, Trevor Gureckis, was praised for his haunting and atmospheric score.
Cast and Characters: In addition to Quinn McColgan, Alex Wolff, and Vicky Krieps, the film also stars Emjay Anthony as Andrew, Redmond as Brandon McKnight, and Laura Linney in a brief cameo as a news anchor. M. Night Shyamalan also makes a cameo appearance as a police officer.
Fan Theories and Easter Eggs: "Knock at the Cabin" has inspired numerous fan theories and discussions online, with many viewers dissecting the film's symbolism and hidden meanings. Some of the most popular fan theories include the idea that the film is an allegory for climate change or the end of the world, and that the characters' names are a nod to "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz". The film also contains several subtle references to other works by M. Night Shyamalan, such as a brief glimpse of the "Split" character in a newspaper clipping.
Sequel Potential: Despite initially being marketed as a standalone film, "Knock at the Cabin" has left the door open for a potential sequel or expanded universe. M. Night Shyamalan has hinted that he has ideas for further stories in this world, and the film's ending has been interpreted by some viewers as a setup for future installments. However, no official announcements have been made regarding a sequel or spinoff.