Warning: This post contains spoilers for Knock at the Cabin
Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, Knock at the Cabin is an apocalyptic horror that features a signature cameo from the filmmaker. The film received a mostly positive reception from critics and knocked Avatar: The Way of Water from the number one spot at the box office. Regardless of what the reception would have been for the film, it wouldn’t have been a Shyamalan movie without an appearance by the filmmaker.
Knock at the Cabin is not the first time Shyamalan has made a cameo appearance, or taken on a minor role in one of his films. In fact, the writer-director has been doing it since the very beginning of his career as a filmmaker. In Old, Shyamalan showed up as the hotel driver who whisks the vacationers to the remote beach that transforms them, and watches them from a distant cliff. In The Village, Shyamalan portrayed the park ranger’s boss. His appearances have become something to note whenever a new film of his releases. Knock at the Cabin is no different, with Shyamalan showing up in a minor, but memorable, role.
When & How M. Night Shyamalan Appears In Knock At The Cabin
Shyamalan shows up in the most unexpected way in Knock at the Cabin. Dave Bautista’s Leonard has asked one of his associates, the home invaders, to switch on the TV. In search for a news channel to convince Jonathan Groff’s Eric and Ben Aldrige’s Andrew that the apocalypse is actually happening, the camera lingers briefly on an infomercial featuring Shyamalan. The director’s character is in the midst of advertising an air fryer and how fast it cooks everything before the station is turned to the news report about a global catastrophe transpiring.
It’s a rather humorous moment considering Knock at the Cabin’s subject matter, as an infomercial has the exact opposite tone. The tense situation causes the characters to get frustrated with Shyamalan’s infomercial The cameo itself was nearly not included in the film, though it was the first thing that was shot. Shyamalan says he had a “funny” idea for his cameo scene, and “everyone enjoyed the concept” so he shot it, and it ended up in Knock at the Cabin because Shyamalan’s editor loved it. Its placement in the film certainly provided some laughter.
Shyamalan’s Knock At The Cabin Cameo Is Different From His Other Films
Because the cabin setting is so contained, there is no one else around. The only way Shyamalan could appear was on television, which was why his infomercial cameo made sense. In his other films, the director would interact with the main characters or speak to them in passing. Knock at the Cabin isolated Shyamalan completely from them instead. In his latest horror film, the filmmaker’s cameo is perfectly placed but doesn’t directly affect the plot or the characters, which would have taken away from the film’s message. Knock at the Cabin is self-contained as well, with the majority of the action taking place inside the cabin. This would be a first for Shyamalan appearing in such a limited manner.
With such an enclosed space, it would have been impossible for Shyamalan’s cameo to exist within the film’s primary setting. Shyamalan could have appeared as a news journalist or in a flashback, but the air fryer infomercial proved to be the perfect place for his cameo because it provides Knock at the Cabin with a moment of humor among so much intensity and doubt. The cameo doesn’t exist to influence or change anything regarding the movie’s outcome, but it is a moment of levity. The film’s small set could have eradicated the need for Shyamalan’s cameo, but it works and stands out among his other film appearances because of its unique nature and execution.