Whenever I see a truly great and original horror film in a theater, it’s like finding a diamond in a pile of coal. That was the case for me with The Cabin in The Woods.

I had first read about it in Fangoria and was immediately drawn in by the title, even though there was no real plot synopsis. Then I didn’t hear or read anything about for awhile. After seeing it, I couldn’t have been happier. The Cabin in The Woods is what happens when two horror fanboys make it big in the entertainment industry. Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard make it very clear in the film. Even with all of the nods and tributes, the pair still manage to tell an original and cohesive story. It begins with a butch of college kids getting ready to go on a camping trip. Right away, you see that they’re all some type of slasher movie stereotype. You have the main girl Dana, played by Kristen Connolly, who is clearly meant to be the shy virgin of the group. You have The Mighty Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth, playing the football jock Curt. Both he and Connolly do a fantastic job, but it’s really Fran Kranz, as the stereotypical stoner Marty, who steals the show. He has all of the best one liners and stands out the most from the rest of the cast. Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford play…well, I don’t want to give that away, but they sure are good at it. The way they bounce dialogue back and forth off is reason enough to watch this movie. They have such comedic chemistry that it makes every scene they’re in memorable. Once the third act roles around, we’re treated to many different monsters. Most of them are meant to be based on already existing horror icons, along with some original designs. I don’t want to spoil them all though, just trust me when I say that it is a sight to see. The film is an amazing love letter to the genre, and I can’t recommend it more.

The Cabin in the Woods is available on DVD and Blu-Ray.