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- Cabin Fever (12)
- Dreadlocksmile's review
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| Value for Money | 4.5/10  |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | 5/10 |
By Dreadlocksmile
on 2nd Aug 2004
| Starring Actor/Actress | Rider Strong, Cerina Vincent, Jordan Ladd |
|---|---|
| Where Did You See It? | DVD |
| Value for money | 9/10 |
| Overall value | 10/10 |
 Dreadlocksmile's recommendation | |
The spot-the-film homage to past horror classics is great fun. The storyline, script, acting, camera work and make-up are all outstanding.
Maybe a little bit of a more creepy suspense might have added to the film, but this is only nit-picking.
Cabin Fever - Synopsis:
"Fresh out of college, Jeff, Karen, Paul, Marcy and Bert head up to a remote cabin for a weekend of alcohol drenched sex and sunbathing. When Karen gets sick, they grow paranoid that they have become infected with a flesh-eating virus. The struggle against the repulsive killer turns into a battle against friends, as fear drives them to turn on each other in the fight for survival".
Eli Roth delivers a creepy yet "Evil Dead" tongue-firmly-in-cheek style of a virus horror flick. For the gore content within the film, it is very surprising that it managed to scrape a 15. The make-up is outstanding, offering some sickening infected bodies that will leave the viewer squirming in their seat.
The film pays homage to some classic horror films of the past, creating a 'spot-the-film' game for the horror addicts amongst us. The location is set in the haunting Evil Dead cabin (with little reminders of "Friday The 13th", "Sleepaway Camp", "The Burning", etc.). Roth uses the good-old-faithful screwdriver in the redneck's ear (taken from the original "Dawn Of The Dead") and the nihilistic montage of burning bodies from the 1968 classic "Night Of The Living Dead". Yet there's more to be spotted, with that low-angle walk to the farmhouse from "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and if I'm not very much mistaken, that's David Hess' song "Wait For The Rain" from "The Last House On The Left". The homages come thick and fast (listen out for all the little quotes), as Roth really delivers a comical approach to the genre.
Cabin Fever holds together a clever and witty script with a roller-coaster of a storyline that pumps gore and suspense at you from all angles. The characterization is superb, with each character having an outrageous personality that leaves you remembering each individual one.
The locals are hilarious with their comical "Deliverance" style of red-necked nature. They're all totally inbred and take on a nice little side plot to the storyline.
The acting is cracking, with just the right level of "annoying" teenager in them to make you dislike the characters but not to actually annoy the audience.
There's brief nudity to sustain that heart rate, with the ravishing Cerina Vincent providing a heart racing performance.
The film is smooth and well shot, with a nice overall atmosphere to it. For a film of this sort of 'independent' nature, Roth has managed to shoot a film that certainly does not reflect the limited budget (which incidentally he keeps under his hat). I'd say that this film is a clever, witty, highly enjoyable horror that almost anyone can enjoy.
The DVD includes an exclusive 40min interview with the director, a beneath the skin featurette (approx. 30mins), and three episodes of "The Rotten Fruit" (approx. 13mins). The DVD is on region 2 PAL with a running time of 88mins (approx.).
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