Cabin Fever (Unrated Director's Cut)

Reviewed by Drav3n

Format: Blu-ray

Release: February 16, 2010

Rated: Unrated

Runtime: 98 Minutes

The Movie:

I really don't understand the hate on this film. Film critics were very mixed on the movie, but then you have big name directors like Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings) and Quentin Tarantino (Inglorious Basterds) praising this movie. Tarantino even referred to Roth as "The Future of Horror."

Just about everybody that I know that has seen this movie hated it, yet they claim to be big horror movie fans. Well, I personally believe if you are a true horror movie fan, this movie will please you! Now first of all, if you like horror movies, you have to enjoy and respect the independent and low-budget horror movies that are frequently made. While most are either lame and/or forgettable, there's always that one that stands out, and this little film is one of them!

This film starts out in the typical sense with a group of college kids on their way to spending, what they hoped would be, an enjoyable weekend by renting a cabin in the woods. You have your stereotypical cast of the nice guy in love with the girl from his childhood, the good girl, the rude and offensive guy (who could possibly be the jock), and the conceited and sexually active couple. Then throw in some stereotypical locals, a racist old shop-keep, and a weird, mullet-rocking, martial arts kid, just for fun.

Once the kids arrive at the cabin, here's where the story ditches the stereotypical horror movie. There are no demons coming for them, no guy with a chainsaw, no guy with a machete or no crazy inbreds. No, its worse than all that combined. This killer is silent and can't be killed once it gets you.. So, what is it? Why, it's a flesh-eating virus that is spreading rapidly among the group!

Ok, I know what you're thinking. This can't be scary. Well when you think about it, it actually is. You can get away from someone thats chasing you with a chainsaw, if you are lucky enough, but a flesh-eating virus? There's no stopping it if it gets to you.

The theatrical version (which isn't included on the blu-ray) runs at 93 minutes, where the unrated version runs at 98 minutes. The added scenes don't really add that much more to the movie, but they are interesting. One focuses on Bert, another on the local townsfolk, an homage to The Evil Dead, and a smoother cut of the conclusion.

There is plenty of nudity and there are tons of really well shot and creative gore and death scenes. And top that off with tons of blood. Some of the scenes can even be cringe-worthy. If a horror movie is able to make you cringe, flinch, or even give you goosebumps for a moment, then you know that movie is doing something right.

Watching this movie, you can see Eli Roth's passion for horror movies. Even in his other movies, Hostel & Hostel 2 (which I wasn't a fan of when I saw them), his passion of horror movies are strongly present. He knows what he wants and he's not afraid of doing what he believes will work. And he demonstrates that well with his directorial debut here. Watching the "making-of" for this movie you see how passionate he is, as well as the entire cast too. Sure there are a few scenes that make absolutely no sense at all (Pancakes, anyone?), but its those scenes that will stand out and be remembered when you think about this movie.

I saw this when it came out in theaters back in 2003, and I frequently return to visit this movie on dvd, and now on blu-ray. It's rare to come across a movie with originality that actually works, but Roth was able to pull it off here. The payoff at the end with the racist shop-keep was one of my favorite parts of this movie. Cabin Fever is easily one of the better American-made horror films to come out in the last ten years, hell, maybe even longer!

Presentation:

This film is presented in full 1080p with an aspect ratio of 2.40:1. This low-budget movie comess off looking good on blu-ray. Now it's not a movie that you would consider as a "demo" disc, but it is a very passable upgrade. Colors are strong, with red always standing out and blacks are very deep. The detail on the special effects is easily a noticeable upgrade over the dvd. Background detail doesn't standout as well as you would hope on a high-definition transfer, but that's expected with this being a independent low-budget movie.

Overall, the transfer is a noticeable upgrade over dvd, but not by much. However, for fans of this movie that have been waiting to see the Unrated Director's Cut, blu-ray is your only option. Keep your eyes open in certain retail stores because one of them is known for selling Lionsgate blu-rays for a very-low price, making the upgrade a very affordable and easy choice.

Audio:

I was surprised to see this film get a 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track. Not much is going on in the film to warrant this audio. There's very little sound effects, but the splattering and squishing sounds that happen throughout the course of the movie sounded great. Dialogue sounded clearer as well when compared to the dvd, so there's another plus there.

Bonus Material:

All of the extras that were on the dvd release have been ported over EXCEPT for the original FIVE audio commentary tracks that were found on the dvd, and the "Chick-o-vision," which was actually an amusing subtitle track that would put "hands" on the screen whenever something scary was to happen.

• Audio Commentary - Is a new commentary that was recorded for the blu-ray release featuring director Eli Roth, actors Rider Strong, Jordan Ladd, Cerina Vincent and Joey Kern. Fans of James DeBello will be disappointed as he is not in the commentary. It is a good commentary that included Roth talking about the changes between the two versions, and the actors sharing some interesting stories since they made the film. Definitely worth listening to.
• Family-Friendly Version (480p, Runtime 1:13) - A HEAVILY edited version of the movie for kids to watch... It's actually entertaining for what it is and its length.
• Director's Shorts: The Rotten Fruit (480p, Runtime 18:26) - A series of funny (possibly offensive to some), stop-motion shorts about a band that consist of talking fruit. Episode 2 and Episode 4 are exclusive to the blu-ray release. NOTE: There is an audio issue on one of the shorts. If your blu-ray player is internet-connected, when you first load the disc, it will ask you to download the update. Download it, and you will be fine.
• Beneath The Skin: The Making of Cabin Fever (480p, Runtime 29:00) - A funny making of that includes interviews with the cast and crew, Eli Roth explains how he became a fan of horror movies, and how sincere the cast was on the film.
• Pancakes! (480p, Runtime 1:45) - The kid that shouts out "Pancakes" for no reason in the movies shows off some more off his martial arts.
• Postcards from Bunyon County (1080p, Runtime 2:32) - A short feature of still that were collected during the production of the movie.
• Trailers - Cabin Fever (which is only in 480p, not even 1080p), and a Lionsgate Blu-Ray promo.

I'm actually disappointed in the fact that Lionsgate couldn't include the original commentaries, plus not including both cuts of the movie. Normally when I upgrade a movie to its blu-ray counterpart, I would get rid of the dvd. In this case, the dvd is staying on the shelf.

Bottom Line:

Haters will hate on me, and let them. It's their loss if they can't appreciate a well done low-budget horror movie that is Cabin Fever. Hardcore fans will want to upgrade in order to see the Unrated cut, but regular fans will probably be content with their dvd. It has a very passable transfer, good and clear audio, and a nice new audio commentary that's worth listening to. If you are able to come across this movie with a low-price that Lionsgate has been known for, then this is a no brainer!