While the ‘cabin in the woods’ movie can’t exactly be considered a sub-genre of its own, it’s certainly a recurring motif within the horror genre. This is because the typical ‘cabin in the woods’ set up can play host to several different kinds of horror – whether it’s of the psychological, supernatural, or slasher variety.
With the idea becoming popularized in the ‘70s and ‘80s, the classic ‘cabin in the woods’ movie sees its central character – or characters – isolated in a remote cabin, leaving them at the mercy of whatever horror awaits. These are the ten best ‘cabin in the woods’ movies, ranked according to IMDb.
Evil Dead (2013) – 6.5
2013’s Evil Dead is one of the few positive cases to be made for a horror remake. Sure, it loses the campy, low-budget charm of the original, but it’s replaced by a truly impressive amount of gore – even raining blood in a literal sense by the movie’s finale.
In Evil Dead, Mia and her friends visit the famous cabin in an attempt to get her clean – which is admittedly a nice touch – so when the group is eventually set upon by deadites, it’s easy to feel sympathy for them – even if they were stupid enough to read Latin from an ancient skin-bound tome.
Severance (2006) – 6.5
Easily one of the most underrated horror-comedies of the 2000s, Severance sees a group of colleagues attend a work treat at an isolated cabin – only to find themselves getting picked off one-by-one by a group of vicious masked murderers.
Of course, it turns out there’s a lot more at play than the movie originally lets on, and what ensues is a genuinely hilarious, blood-soaked ride that’s well worth your time.
Secret Window (2004) – 6.6
Based on the Stephen King novella Secret Window, Secret Garden, 2004’s Johnny-Depp starring Secret Window follows depressed writer Mort Rainey who retreats to a remote cabin to overcome his writer’s block. It’s not long before he finds himself stalked by an unhinged writer who insists that Mort has been ripping off his work.
While the movie features an obviously signposted plot twist that was extremely overused back in the 2000s, Secret Window is a decent, atmospheric thriller nonetheless – and even boasts a score co-created by Philip Glass.
Funny Games (2007) – 6.6
One of the rare cases in which a director remakes their own movie, 2007’s Funny Games is Michael Haneke’s remake of his 1997 Austrian film of the same name – and also happens to be one of the most subversive horror films ever made.
While its set-up may appear overdone – a family is tormented by sadistic murderers at their lakeside holiday home – Funny Games is completely self-aware, serving as something of a criticism of its own genre. For fans of deconstructive horror, the movie is an absolute must-see, but beware – it’s an undeniably uncomfortable watch by design.
Dog Soldiers (2002) – 6.8
The directorial debut of Neil Marshall, the man behind The Descent and even some of Game of Thrones’ biggest battle episodes, Dog Soldiers is a British horror movie about a group of soldiers who take shelter in a remote cabin after they find themselves at the mercy of a pack of werewolves.
The movie manages to pull off the delicate balance of funny and scary extremely well, even fitting in some references to other ‘cabin in the woods’ movies – with one soldier being named Corporal Bruce Campbell.
The Cabin In The Woods (2012) – 7
Although initially advertised as a self-aware version of the classic ‘cabin in the woods’ story, 2012’s horror-comedy The Cabin in the Woods blew the minds of horror fans worldwide when it released – with its trailers only scratching the surface of the movie’s true subversive scope.
Perhaps the most deconstructive horror movie ever made, The Cabin in the Woods uses its clever dissection of horror tropes to create a truly unique and thrilling experience. The movie centers on a group of teens who decide to stay at a remote cabin, where they’re promptly attacked by a group of undead monsters. Those who’ve seen the movie will know exactly what it is that makes the third act so brilliant – but anybody who hasn’t seen The Cabin in the Woods owes it to themselves to find out for themselves.
The Evil Dead (1981) – 7.5
The quintessential ‘cabin in the woods’ movie, 1981’s The Evil Dead sees a group of friends visit a remote woodland cabin, where they unleash an ancient evil after stumbling upon a mysterious tape recording.
Marking one of the greatest directorial debuts in horror history, The Evil Dead’s famously low budget stretches incredibly far – relying primarily on Sam Raimi’s excellent technique to elicit its gory scares. While Raimi essentially remade the movie in his sequel Evil Dead II, The Evil Dead is essential viewing for fans of the genre.
Tucker And Dale Vs Evil (2010) – 7.5
2010’s Tucker and Dale Vs Evil is perhaps the most underappreciated horror-comedy of the 2010s. The story follows two loveable rednecks Tucker and Dale, as they buy a cabin in the woods as a holiday home.
After a series of misunderstandings however, a meddlesome group of teenagers comes to believe Tucker and Dale have kidnapped and murdered their friend – with their disastrous attempts to retrieve her making the innocent duo look even worse. It’s a hilarious reversal of the ‘evil redneck’ trope, standing as one of the funniest – and bloodiest – horror-comedies of the decade.
Misery (1990) – 7.8
While Misery isn’t exactly the first movie that comes to mind when thinking of the ‘cabin in the woods’ movie, it undeniably belongs in the sub-genre regardless. Based on the Stephen King book of the same name, the movie sees author Paul Sheldon taken in by nurse Annie Wilkes after a nasty car crash.
As it turns out, Annie is an obsessive fan of Sheldon’s novels, holding him hostage in her isolated house and forcing him to write more in her favorite series of novels. It’s a truly chilling, nail-biting experience brought to life by an Oscar-winning performance from a career-best Kathy Bates.
Evil Dead II (1987) – 7.8
Often cited as the greatest entry in Sam Raimi’s hugely popular Evil Dead trilogy, Evil Dead II serves as both a partial remake of and direct-sequel to its predecessor, upping the ante to a huge degree, while injecting the story with some slapstick, tongue-in-cheek humor.
The movie frequently tops lists of the best horror movies ever made – and that makes perfect sense. Evil Dead II sees the brilliant Sam Raimi further honing his craft and is arguably the movie that cemented the director as a true auteur.