WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for Knock at the Cabin!Knock at the Cabin may not have Shyamalan’s trademark plot twist, but it does feature a surprising component: Dave Bautista. Adapted from the 2018 horror novel The Cabin at the End of the World, M. Night Shyamalan’s 2023 thriller movie changes many details about the main characters and the final act of the apocalypse story. One major change was to the character of Leonard, who was described as being much younger in the book, but becomes a physically imposing large man in his 50s in order to be played by MCU and Blade Runner: 2049 actor former WWE wrestler Dave Bautista.
While the major twist in Knock at the Cabin is that there is no twist, given Shyamalan revolutionized the shocking plot device, Dave Bautista is the most pleasant surprise in the film. Bautista’s character Leonard is the leader of Knock at the Cabin’s Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, who arrives at the cabin imploring Eric, Andrew, and Wen to make the impossible decision to sacrifice one of themselves in order to save humanity. The second-grade teacher and kids’ basketball coach is a significant influence on the heart of the movie’s thought-provoking themes, which is only accomplished through a pleasantly surprising, outstanding performance by Bautista.
Dave Bautista Is Knock At The Cabin's Stand-Out Actor
The greatest twist in Knock at the Cabin is how impressively Bautista’s acting skills shine throughout the story, making him the stand-out feature of Shyamalan’s thriller movie. Knock at the Cabin doesn’t work unless Bautista is playing the role, as he exudes a contradictory sense of unintentionally intimidating fear and comfort that makes his character incredibly captivating. During the movie’s horrific state of events, Leonard is what keeps everyone calm and everything organized, whereas other films would likely use his physical stature to intimidate everyone else. Leonard is given brilliant monologues and influences over each Knock at the Cabin character, which requires Dave Bautista to bring the greatest performance of his career so far.
The skills needed to perfect a complex character like Leonard have slowly been touched on in Dave Bautista’s past filmography, but Knock at the Cabin proves he has a passionate dedication to the craft of acting, the ability to deeply dive into his roles, and the talent to make it impossible to imagine someone else playing Leonard. Knock at the Cabin's story is grounded in pathos, which is underscored by Bautista’s character guiding the other figures through empathy and selflessness to make an impossible choice. While Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, Kristen Cui, and Rupert Grint give unforgettable performances, it’s the unexpected brilliance of Dave Batista that truly stands out in Knock at the Cabin.
M. Night Shyamalan Brilliantly Reverses Expectations For Bautista & Grint
Knock at the Cabin’s casting creates a clever twist by playing with expectations for Dave Bautista and Rupert Grint. To perfect the character of Leonard, Knock at the Cabin uses the juxtaposition of Dave Bautista’s sincerity and gentleness with his physically imposing nature to create both uneasiness and trust in him as a leader. In a thriller movie where Leonard is initially presented as an antagonist, it would be expected that he would use his physical strength to intimidate Eric, Andrew, and Wen into making their sacrifice. However, Bautista’s physical strength is scarcely utilized, with Knock at the Cabin being careful to ensure that it is only used as a mode of defense and protection.
Rather, it’s Rupert Grint’s character Redmond who poses the greatest physical threat of violence in Knock at the Cabin’s story. Considering Rupert Grint is better associated with his Harry Potter character Ron Weasley, who was particularly notable for lacking an intimidating nature, Knock at the Cabin casting him as the malicious wild card is another excellent twist. Grint has found his niche in playing tormented men in horror projects after Harry Potter, with Knock at the Cabin providing his most thrilling and important performance yet. Unexpectedly, Ron Weasley is the one providing the necessary fear-inducing malice and violence underscoring Knock at the Cabin’s suspenseful horror.
Knock At The Cabin Proves Bautista Wins The Ex-Wrestler Actor Debate
A few former WWE wrestlers have curiously found great success in Hollywood, primarily in the superhero, comedy, and action genres. The major three ex-wrestler actors are Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, John Cena, and Dave Bautista, with the latter arriving on the scene last but ultimately growing to become the most accomplished and promising in regard to a more serious approach to the craft of acting. While many of The Rock and John Cena’s biggest roles have focused on their physical strength, Bautista is expanding his roles to genuinely rely on his skills as an actor and talents to hone his craft in more dramatic scenarios.
Johnson and Cena essentially play the same character in most of their movies, whereas Bautista demonstrates an impressive range that allows him to separate his character from his real persona as he dives into dramatic roles. Bautista also works well in ensemble casts, whether that be Knock at the Cabin, Glass Onion, or Dune, in which he can better hone his versatility as an actor without being the central figure. The Rock and John Cena typically find themselves typecast in the same roles and same movies, whereas Knock at the Cabin star Dave Bautista rarely plays the same man twice and is increasingly cast in critically acclaimed films.