“This film centres on a gay couple but it isn’t about that – it normalises who they are”: Ben Aldridge on Knock at the Cabin
Anyone with any familiarity with the work M Night Shyamalan will always know to expect the unexpected. His latest feature, Knock at the Cabin is no exception, and in many ways seems to carry the DNA of some of his best work – from The Sixth Sense to Signs, The Village to Unbreakable – into a new setting.
Based on Paul Tremblay’s 2018 novel, The Cabin at the End of the World, the action unfolds in the titular cabin, where a family enjoying a holiday escape from the city find themselves descended upon by a group of four strangers talking about the end of the world. What ensues is a masterclass in tension building, as the protagonists are asked to do the unthinkable, and all their beliefs and values are tested. Standout performances are delivered by Dave Bautista as Leonard, a kind of gentle giant with terrible news to deliver, and Ben Aldridge, the camera trained on his face for much of the film’s duration to capture the different stages of terror his character must navigate. Read it how you will, but at its heart, it seems to highlight who and what we can believe, the strength of love above all else and the impending doom we all face if we don’t take responsibility for our impact on the planet.
The Upcoming spoke to one of the film’s stars, Ben Aldridge, about the appeal of the script, his favourite Shyamalan movies and the intensity of his time on set. We also discussed the importance of representation on screen in terms of normalising different types of relationships and families.
Sarah Bradbury
Knock at the Cabin is released nationwide on 3rd February 2023.
Watch the trailer for Knock at the Cabin here:
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