Knock at the Cabin (2023)★★★☆☆

I read the book this movie is based on, The Cabin at the End of the World, several years back, and really liked it. I’ve liked most of Paul Tremblay’s work, though surprisingly more of the longer works than his short stories.

Anyway, I was excited last year when I heard this was being made into a movie, so I reread the book in anticipation before it was release.

…which was maybe a mistake. Because, while I wouldn’t say this is a bad adaptation necessarily, it’s definitely a different take on things. In fact, it’s M. Night Shyamalan’s take on things, and I just think we don’t always see eye to eye on what’s best in a movie.

Actually, it’s a pretty faithful adaptation for most of the story. It’s just the end where things diverge a bit, and in a way that I find detracts from the original story.

(Spoilers ahead) But I’ll admit that may be a personal thing - I prefer a lack of clear answers to clear, overtly religious answers.

The acting is good, the pacing is ok, and I was surprisingly easily able to fit Dave Bautista into my mental image of Leonard, but overall I don’t find the movie as compelling or interesting as the novel.