In real life, going away to a cabin for the weekend sounds like a lot of fun, especially when friends are coming along. It means time in nature and a chance to slow down. But in the world of horror movies, this premise leads to supernatural happenings or a serial killer hanging around in the darkness. A backwoods cabin is definitely the perfect location for this kind of story.
With the release of The Rental in 2020, horror fans have been treated to countless movies about a cabin setting. There are many that have come out in the past few years alone, and while some of them are fun and scary, others are much more lackluster.
The Open House (2018)
Netflix's 2018 horror movie The Open House may be about a house out in nature, but it's scary or fun — or all that entertaining.
A mother and her son face a tragedy and move into a cabin in the mountains. Someone is watching them the whole time and clearly planning their death, but this movie has no real ending, as — spoiler alert — the characters get killed and audiences don't learn who killed them or why. It appears that this is a serial killer who attends open houses and preys on the people who are there, but that's not a wholly realized premise. The lack of a conclusion makes The Open House the worst horror movie about a cabin.
Friday The 13th (2009)
The 2009 remake of Friday the 13th takes place at a cabin on Crystal Lake instead of the summer camp of the original film. A group of friends spend some time there, and they encounter the infamous Jason Voorhees.
This movie isn't as groundbreaking as the original and it's a pretty generic story. Like many remakes, there wasn't much reason for it as it didn't add anything and it wasn't a different, more unique take on the slasher in the woods story.
Cabin Fever (2002)
The characters in Cabin Fever go to a cabin in the forest and as the title suggests, something goes wrong. The title is a clever play on the idea that people who are holed up in the woods get super bored after a while and want to get out and do something exciting. But instead of simply finding the weekend away to be dull, the characters are ravaged by a flesh-eating disease.
Cabin Fever isn't the absolute worst movie about a creepy cabin, but it's not the most compelling, and the 2016 remake isn't very good. It's not the greatest movie about a virus, either.
Scare Me (2020)
It's always fun to watch a horror movie about a writer, and the Stephen King work Misery is a great tale of an author and his crazed fan.
Scare Me is another great horror movie about a creepy cabin. Two writers come upon each other when they're both staying in cabins. Fred hopes to become successful, and when out running, he comes across a famous author named Fanny. They decide to tell each other stories, which is a smart idea for a horror movie, as there are so many paths that this could go down. The result is a surprising tale as audiences aren't sure who to trust and what is real. Scare Me also has a pretty unexpected ending, making it worth a watch.
The Strangers (2008)
While some horror movies are only horrifying once, the 2008 movie The Strangers is always going to creep audiences out.
James and Kristen spend some time at his family's cabin, and the relationship issues that they're having are the least of their worries when a stranger knocks on the door. The strangers, who are wearing masks, explain that they're committing this unspeakable crime "because you were home." The couple has to fight for their lives, and it's clear that that won't be easy. There's nothing more terrifying than thinking about masked killers invading a house and killing people, and the house gives off a lot of creepy vibes here. It's the perfect place to set a horror movie.
The Lodge (2019)
The Lodge tells the story of two young adults who learn that their dad's new girlfriend Grace was part of a scary cult.
The family is at a lodge for the holidays, and it's not exactly what anyone wants to find out, especially when trying to feel festive. This movie is well-crafted and would be ranked higher, but the setting isn't quite as fascinating as the character of Grace herself, as she starts to have trouble dealing with her horrible memories and loses her grip on sanity and reality.
The Rental (2020)
Technically, the friend group in Dave Franco's directorial debut The Rental are staying in a house rented through Airbnb, but it definitely counts as a creepy place to stay for the weekend.
This movie is more interesting and well-crafted than most in the "scary cabin" genre, as the characters have smart conversations and tricky relationships with each other. Co-written with mumblecore icon Joe Swanberg, The Rental tells the story of business partners Mina and Josh who secretly love each other. Since Mina is dating Josh's brother, Charlie, and Josh is married to Michelle, that becomes a big issue. The movie is both scary and perceptive, as the foursome stays at a house and horror strikes.
Head Count (2018)
Many movies feature friend groups going away for the weekend and staying in an awesome house. The young characters in the brilliant horror movie Head Count don't expect to find a supernatural presence in the home where they're just trying to let loose and have some fun.
This movie is one of the best out there about a cabin or home in nature, as the characters stay in the desert of Joshua Tree, and it feels like something is spying on them the entire time.
The Evil Dead (1981)
Sam Raimi's 1981 film The Evil Dead kicked off an entire franchise, complete with a TV series and a musical, and it's the first feature-length movie that he wrote and directed. Five friends go to a cabin and they can tell that something is off right away.
This movie is absolutely terrifying. The characters listen to a tape recording of The Book of the Dead or the Necronomicon and it summons an evil force. Everyone but hero Ash dies, and it's a captivating movie. Like other movies in the "cabin" genre, these characters definitely wished they hadn't gone to that particular place.
The Cabin In The Woods (2011)
The Cabin in the Woods is considered one of the most well-made horror movies in recent memory, and it deals with the "cabin" idea better than any other film since it has so many elements of the genre.
Some of the young adults are smarter than the others but one thing is for sure, the movie is incredibly intelligent. While some college kids think that they're staying at a cabin for a few days, they're really being controlled by an agency and sacrificed for a ritual to "The Ancient Ones." The cabin itself is incredibly creepy and strange, and the characters slowly realize that nothing is what it appears to be.