It feels like just the other day that the horror ingénue Eli Roth splattered onto the scene with his funny, gory and terrifying Cabin Fever but alas, that was over a decade ago in 2002. Since then he’s done more (bad) acting in films (Tarantino’s Death Proof and Inglorious Basterds as well as Piranha 3D) than he’s directed (Green Inferno). While he did have unintentional back-to-back films last year with the aforementioned abhorrent Green Inferno and the typically loved Keanu Reeves starrer Knock Knock (I say “unintentional” because Green Inferno got bounced around in some truly sketchy distribution shenanigans), Roth still seems content to just be having fun. Such is the case with this remake of his seminal film, Cabin Fever.
Now before you, like me, commence with the whiny “uggggh, I haaaate remakes of recent fillllllms “ commentary, this new Cabin Fever is kind of cool. The deal is, director Travis Zarwiny is shooting from the exact same script as the original film but with new actors as well as some gender reversal. Fans of the original may see that trailer above and note that Deputy Winston is now a lady (Louise Linton) whereas previously that role was played by Giuseppe Andrews. What does this all mean?
Well hell, I dunno. But I liked the original Cabin Fever and that trailer looks equally grody (yes, I dropped a grody!) and I trust Roth’s sensibilities, for the most part. While I remain lukewarm on the remake of a movie that’s barely ten years old I feel like this could be an interesting experiment. I’m going to give it a go and recommend you do as well when IFC Midnight releases it on VOD Friday, February 12.
——-
Executive producer Eli Roth presents this reboot of his instant classic gorefest, which features all new characters and all new kills. This story is familiar: fresh out of college, a group of five friends retreat to a remote cabin in the woods for one last week of partying- only to become snacks for a gruesome, flesh-eating virus. What’s surprising are the ingenious new deaths, which offer a fresh spin on a horror-comedy milestone. With Gage Golightly (Teen Wolf) and Dustin Ingram (Paranormal Activity 3).
Directed by: Travis Zariwny
Executive Produced by: Eli Roth
Starring: Gage Golightly, Dustin Ingram, Nadine Crocker, Matthew Daddario & Samuel Davis
