Cabin Fever: Unrated Directors Cut (2002) reviewed by Yags Antunes

Introduction

Cabin Fever's opening scene introduces the audience to a gruesome virus, as we witness a hermit who, whilst strolling through the woods, comes across what initially appears to be his immobile dog. But moments later, after the loner unsuccessfully tries to get the dog's attention, we learn (as well as the character), that the canine is deceased as a result of some bloody contagious virus. Subsequently, the hermit is sprayed with the infected blood, and later on, we begin to fathom the devastating effect the virus has on its victims.


Horror aficionado Eli Roth's directorial debut was filmed on a modest budget ($1.5m), yet like other horror films which lacked financial muscle, such as The Blair Witch Project (1999), Halloween (1978), Night of the Living Dead (1968), Friday the 13th (1980) and The Evil Dead (1981), to name but a few, Cabin Fever effectively demonstrates that some cheap (or relatively cheap) films can indeed be entertaining and can go on to garner a cult following.

What makes Cabin Fever stand out from many films of the genre, is Roth's preference to deploy a film-making style which illustrates graphic violence and nudity, essentially paying homage to many horror films of the 80s. The film evokes the aesthetic and themes of, apparently, some of Roth's favourite horror films such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), The Last House on the Left (1972), The Evil Dead (1981) and The Hills Have Eyes (1977), to name but a few.


The main problem with Cabin Fever is that it lacks any real character and narrative development, and there are numerous things throughout the film which remain unexplained, such as the original source of the virus. However, this does not really detract one from enjoying the particular way in which Roth decides to tell his macabre tale about a group of misfortunate friends.

Video

The main feature on the Blu-ray released by Lions Gate Home Entertainment is presented in 1080p (2.40:1), and whilst the transfer holds up quite well for the most part, it is noticeably during the scenes which take place during nightfall that the image clarity suffers somewhat. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that Cabin Fever was shot on a low budget, implying that the lack of detail is a product of the low budget source material.

Audio

Containing a 7.1 audio track, as with many of the studio's other Blu-ray releases, Cabin Fever's audio quality lacks the vibrancy one would perhaps find in an action blockbuster, though there is quite some impressive attention to detail. For example, the sound of Autumn leaves rustling as characters trudge through the woods, the crackling of the burning logs on the campfire or the sound of creaking doors. Furthermore, the volume balance throughout the film's various audio elements remain adequate.

Overall

Cabin Fever is a fun-packed horror film, full of gore, violence and nudity, and whilst it does not really tread on any new ground, or change the way one perceives the horror genre, this does not really detract from the film's overall watchability. It is clear that Roth has sacrificed character and narrative expansion to essentially favour a film-making style one would expect to find in many of the horror films that were being churned out during the 80s. Perhaps Cabin Fever will never be regarded as a modern day horror classic, but it is certainly worth watching, especially if one is an enthusiast of the horror genre.