Psychological horror writer and director, M. Night Shyamalan, compares Knock at the Cabin to his older film, Signs. Based on Paul G. Tremblay 2018 award-winning novel The Cabin at the End of the World, the film stars Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge as Andrew and Eric respectively, parents to their young daughter Wen (Kristen Cui) whom they took on vacation to a cabin in the middle of the woods. However, they soon find their lives threatened when four armed strangers kidnap the family and force them to make a terrible decision that may avert the end of the world.
In a recent interview with Total Film (via compared Knock at the Cabin to his 2002 film Signs. The director looked to the premise of both movies and found that each focused on a family in the midst of an event that may see the end of the world. Read what Shyamalan said below:
"Which of my other movies is Knock At The Cabin in the ballpark of? The closest, I think, is Signs, because both movies are confined, to some extent, and they’re both populated by such loveable families at the center of apocalyptic events. I do think that you fall in love with both of those families. You laugh with them, are scared for them. You feel connected."
How Knock at the Cabin and Signs are Similar (and Different)
Although the conceits of each of Shyamalan's feature films are vastly different, including a ghost story, a superhero origin, and a fairytale among others, the director's comments identify the common trait of both Knock at the Cabin and Signs' premises. Signs stars Mel Gibson as Father Graham Hess, the widowed parent of Morgan Hess (Rory Culkin) and Bo Hess (Abigail Breslin). Six months after the tragic death of Graham's wife, the Hess family finds crop circles appear in their cornfield and quickly come to understand they are ground zero for a hostile alien invasion. Through the terrifying ordeal, the audience becomes emotionally attached to family, fearing the worst for their lives as killer extraterrestrials come to their doorstep.
Knock at the Cabin also places a family at the center of a thriller. Although certain plot points have been withheld from the audience prior to release, the film will also feature a caring family faced with a world-ending event that threatens their lives. However, the similarities between Knock at the Cabin and Signs lie within the broad strokes of their plots, as well as their R and PG-13 ratings.
Instead of an otherworldly danger, Wen's family is faced with a direct threat from the four armed kidnappers that have trapped them in their cabin. Lead by Dave Bautista as Leonard, the strangers include Rupert Grint as Redmond, Abby Quinn as Sabrina, and Nikki Amuka-Bird as Adriane. Although all humanity may end if Wen's family does not make a terrible decision regarding their fate, the danger is more immediate as it is clearly visible and at their throats. With Knock at the Cabin premiering next month, audiences can decide how similar Shyamalan's new film is to his cult classic Signs.
Source: Total Film (via GamesRadar)
