Knock at the Cabin
The previews draw you in. A gay couple in thriller that is determined to protect their family. The question is does M. Night Shyamalan deliver?
The performances by Ben Aldridge and Jonathan Groff are authentic and captivating. The first mainstream horror film to feature a gay couple and their daughter as the main characters is certainly something to applaud. However, beyond the outstanding delivery, lays a story that is predictable and problematic.
Ben Aldridge, in pre-release interview, wonders how the LGBTQ+ community will take the film but ultimately applauds the progress. The film even has a central character state, “We don’t have one homophobic bone in our bodies!”
The character may not have a homophobic bone but the movie certainly does. Ben is correct that all horror films have horror. However not all horror films contain religious themes like the apocalypse or suggest that a gay couple can prevent the apocalypse by sacrificing their family. A family that many in the film don’t accept. Ultimately the film fails to delivery any thrill or suspense and ultimately perpetuates the homophobic realities of our world.
