Cabin Fever (2002)

Directed by: Eli Roth | 94 minutes | horror | Actors: Rider Strong, Jordan Ladd, James DeBello, Cerina Vincent, Joey Kern, Robert Harris, Arie Verveen, Hal Courtney, Matthew Helms, Richard Boone, Tim Parati, Brandon Johnson, Eli Roth

The teen horror film ‘Cabin Fever’ is Eli Roth’s directorial debut, delivering a worthy tribute to classic 1970s horror films. The film is not very original in plot. Once again we are dealing with a group of friends who settle in a holiday home and each and every one of them become victims of a threatening element (this time a flesh-eating virus). In that respect, the films bring nothing new. What makes ‘Cabin Fever’ especially interesting are the countless references to horror film history. It is clear that Roth is a big horror fan and the film is a great tribute to the classics of horror. For example, you can clearly find nods to the directorial debut of Sam ‘Spider-Man’ Raimi’s ‘Evil Dead’, ‘Night of the Living Dead’, ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’ (which has recently been re-filmed) and the lesser-known “Deliverance” and “The Last House on the Left” (the directorial debut of Wes “Scream” Craven).

Is that a bad thing? No, it actually makes the film interesting. At least…for the enthusiast and connoisseur of the classic horror film. To a layman, the film is “just another (teen) horror”. But apart from that, ‘Cabin Fever’ remains a very nice film that visually exudes an atmosphere that is reminiscent of the aforementioned classics and the film is therefore already a relief to watch. However, viewers with weak stomachs should stay at home, because apart from the fact that the film is historically interesting, ‘Cabin Fever’ is old-fashioned rancid. The virus that infects the young people one by one is not nice to say the least. It starts with a small spot on your body but slowly expands until you get sick and your skin falls off your bones.

A big plus of the film are the relatively unknown actors, who each play very well. The (black) humor is also given sufficient space. But again, be warned. There is a lot of blood, a lot of “gore” and, as it should be in a horror film, that is extensively portrayed. For example, actor Rider Strong has a hard time. When he went for a walk through the woods between shots, he came across a group of ladies who were blankly startled by the sight of a man completely covered in blood. Later they recognized him as “that handsome actor” from the popular TV series ‘Boy Meets World’.

Again: a must for the real horror freak. But now we want to see a new horror concept.