Apocalypse (possibly) now

It’s the end of the world. Or is it?

- By Megan McCluskey

That’s the terrifying dilemma at the heart of the apocalyptic horror film Knock at the Cabin, in theaters Feb. 3. Based on Paul Tremblay’s award winning 2018 novel The Cabin at the End of the World, writer-director M. Night Shyamalan’s new movie challenges its characters and, in turn, viewers to consider the implications of an impossible choice: save your family or, as the movie’s tagline puts it, save humanity.

At the center of the action is a tight-knit unit—married couple Eric Jonathan Groff) and Andrew Ben Aldridge) and their daughter Wen Kristen Cui)—who, while vacationing at a remote cabin, find themselves at the mercy of four armed strangers demanding they willingly sacrifice one of their own to prevent the apocalypse. Only these aren’t your typical home invaders.

The mismatched group is composed of hulking yet soft-spoken teacher Leonard Dave Bautista), concerned nurse Sabrina Nikki Amuka-Bird), motherly diner cook Adriane Abby Quinn), and brash ex-con Redmond Rupert Grint). We were called and are united by a common vision, which has now become a command that we cannot ignore,” Leonard offers upon their arrival. If you fail to choose, the world will end.” For the next 90 minutes, we become attached to the captives—then watch them struggle to choose.