The Cabin in the Woods (2011)

The Cabin in the Woods is a 2011 science fiction comedy horror film directed by Drew Goddard, produced by Joss Whedon, and written by Goddard and Whedon. The film follows a group of college students who retreat to a remote cabin in the woods, where they encounter monsters while technicians manipulate events from an underground facility for a global purpose. Engineers Gary Sitterson and Steve Hadley discuss a mysterious ritual after a similar operation in Stockholm failed.

American college students Dana Polk, Jules Louden, Curt Vaughan, Holden McCrea, and Marty Mikalski spend their weekend at Curt’s cousin’s cabin. They are remotely controlled by Sitterson and Hadley, who manipulate the students by intoxicating them with mind-altering drugs. In the cabin’s cellar, they find bizarre objects, including the diary of Patience Buckner, who was abused by her family. Dana recites incantations from the diary and summons the zombified Matthew and Judah Buckner.

Hadley releases pheromones to induce Curt and Jules to have sex outside, but they are attacked by the Buckners and Jules is decapitated. Marty discovers concealed surveillance equipment and is stabbed and dragged off by Judah. The lab workers learn that the American rite is “humanity’s last hope” after the failed site in Japan. Curt, Holden, and Dana attempt to escape in their RV, but Sitterson triggers a tunnel collapse to block them. Dana realizes their experience is staged and is attacked by Matthew.

Marty returns and helps Dana escape from Matthew. They descend into the lab and discover a large collection of monsters in cages. Dana correlates the monsters with objects in the cellar and realizes that the objects determine which monsters are released. Cornered by security personnel, they release all the monsters, causing havoc and slaughtering the staff. Hadley is killed by a merman, and Dana accidentally stabs Sitterson.

Dana and Marty discover an ancient temple where they are confronted by the facility’s director. She explains that worldwide annual rituals of human sacrifice are held to appease the Ancient Ones, with the American ritual involving the sacrifice of five archetypes: the whore (Jules), the athlete (Curt), the scholar (Holden), the fool (Marty), and the virgin (Dana). The director urges Dana to kill Marty to complete the ritual, but a werewolf mauls her. Marty shoots the werewolf and scares it off, but the director is attacked. Patience arrives and Marty kicks them both into the pit below.