Knock at the Cabin is directed by M. Night Shyamalan, written by Shyamalan, Steve Desmond, and Michael Sherman, and stars Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Kristen Cui, Abby Quinn, and Rupert Grint. It tells the story of a family of three vacationing at a remote cabin who are suddenly held hostage by four strangers who demand they sacrifice one of their own to avert the apocalypse. M. Night’s latest is a confidently directed thriller with sharp writing and strong performances. Shyamalan proves to be one of the most unique voices in the horror genre today, presenting a thought-provoking and emotionally charged film full of suspense and intrigue.

M. Night Shyamalan is back and continues to be on one of the sexiest streaks in a long time. Knock at the Cabin sees the director at his most confident and restrained. His film is consistently engaging and uniquely presented, creating an utterly enthralling experience for the audience. Anyone who is a fan of the director will know there’s nothing quite like an M. Night movie. His characters are larger than life and his concerts are always far out and this is no exception. That being said, this film is equally as restrained as it is strange. We see the director in full force here, presenting his visual style and tight-rope walking tone with a sleek, breezy confidence. This thriller flies by and leaves the audience wanting more.

This ensemble powerhouse delivers strong. Dave Bautista continues to impress with his acting efforts, and this might be his strongest performance yet. He is endlessly watchable as the enigmatic leader of the unhinged strangers who prey upon the innocent family headed by Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridgem who are equally fantastic in the film. We instantly empathize with the couple and M. Night delivers a genuinely felt on-screen romance between the two. Their daughter, played by the wonderful Kristen Cui, watches the chaos unfold and delivers one of the stronger child performances of recent memory. I am usually one to hate child actors, but she is genuinely very impressive here and adds a lot to the heart of the film! Next to Bautista, who delivers an all-timer monologue in his final scene, my favorite performance in the film might be Rupert Grint, who shows us a side of him we’ve never seen before. He has both a grimness and intensity to him that I couldn’t get enough of. I’d love to see more from him.

In short, Knock at the Cabin is a wonderful contained thriller from one of our most unique filmmakers. Long Live M Night. 4/5