Director – Eli Roth (The Green Inferno, Thanksgiving)
Starring – Jordan Ladd (Death Proof, Club Dread), Rider Strong (Darkening Sky, Critical Role: One Shots), and James DeBello (Detroit Rock City, Scary Movie 2)
Release Date – 2002
Rating – 3.5/5
UHD Release – 4/5
Genre fans love to find filmmakers to shit on. They are easily the most opinionated fanbase there only second to the metal community. I’ve been writing for Horror Society for over a decade and I’ve been a genre fan since the mid-90s so I’ve seen how rabid and spiteful the horror community can be. One filmmaker that has always drawn criticism from fans is Eli Roth who has given the genre some fantastic films in my opinion. While Roth and Rob Zombie are quick to catch hell online, I would much rather watch their body of work over the Terrifier trilogy and the Scream franchise.
Honestly, I’m a fan of Roth’s and can remember watching Cabin Fever on VHS when I was in high school. I know a lot of genre fans refused to watch it because “modern” horror sucked but I’ve always been open to all horror. Since then I’ve watched all of Roth’s work but I never revisited the first Cabin Fever after I left for college and lost my tape collection. That recently changed when Lionsgate sent over their new UHD steelbook release for review. It had been damn near 20 years since my last viewing and couldn’t wait to revisit it.
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows a group of twenty-somethings who venture deep into the woods for a little drinking and hunting. However, their idyllic trip is anything when they encounter a man who is extremely sick. He has open sores all over his body with puss oozing from them. Things then take an even deadlier turn when their vehicle becomes damaged after one of the sick tries to steal it. Stuck deep in the woods with no phone, they try find a way to get into town for help but when one of their own becomes infected they are forced to find their own way to survive. **Spoiler Alert**
Cabin Fever is not a film that anyone will say is their favorite film. It might be someone’s favorite Eli Roth film but they would be wrong. I like Cabin Fever and I think it’s a solid, well rounded film but it’s not the best of anything if I’m being honest. It’s a fun flick that anyone can enjoy regardless if you are a genre fan or just someone that appreciates good movies.
The acting in this one is very uneven but not bad. Honestly, I like the cast in this one. James DeBello and Jordan Ladd make the film for me. Their characters are so different and so memorable. I also enjoyed the supporting cast. While they are unintentionally funny, they deliver solid performances as well. In fact, they are probably just as memorable as DeBello and Ladd’s. With that being said, Ryder Strong, Cerina Vincent, and Joey Kern’s performances were a bit underwhelming. While Vincent was nice to look at from a misogynistic standpoint, her character was very cliched and forgettable.
The story for this one is unique and not like your standard cabin in the woods type film. A group of young adults in a cabin deep in the woods with plans of fucking and getting high/drunk is nothing knew. Hell, it’s damn near essential for most slashers. However, this one differs from others and plays into the fear many have of us of unknown infections. I’m not a germaphobe but I would do everything possible to avoid a skin eating disease. The movie does a great job at creating tensions between those in the small cabin when the disease is introduced. The film has great pacing, some humor that works, and some clever deaths.
Finally, the film has some pretty gruesome scenes with some fun gore. It’s not the bloodiest film I’ve seen but I loved the effects for this one. The gore, though limited, looks great and the make-up effects are top next. Here we are 20 some years later and still talking about the gooey effects for this one. Overall. Cabin Fever is not the film people will use to describe Eli Roth’s career but it is a solid flick. It’s crazy to revisit this one and see how far he has grown as a filmmaker when you compare it to something like Thanksgiving. It’s still worth a watch especially this new UHD unrated release. Check it out!
Special Features:
Lionsgate Limited Extras:
• Scratching the Surface: A Look Back
• Establishing Shot with Eli Roth
Legacy Special Features:
• Audio Commentaries with Director Eli Roth and Cast Members Rider Strong, Jordan Ladd, Cerina Vincent, and Joey Kern
• Director’s Shorts: The Rotten Fruit
• Beneath the Skin: The Making of Cabin Fever
• Family-Friendly Version
• Pancakes!
• Chatting On-Set with Eli
• Chatting with Eli Roth
• Exclusive Featurette with Eli Roth
• Deleted Scenes
• Mad Dog
• TV Spot
• Theatrical Trailer
