Cabin Girl

I was pleasantly surprised by this film.

Being a TubiTV Original, and all...I expected it to be far worse than it is.

It's actually quite an engaging little film.

One that's simple, yet effective.

In it, we find ourselves following a young social media influencer, who has taken up the van life.

Only to leave it behind, when she finds an affordable cabin, in a remote, rural town.

However, it turns out that the cabin has a dark past.

Which she's driven to uncover...you know...for the views.

Only to find out she's asking questions, she might not be ready to face the answers to.

To keep things interesting, they add in a bit of a twist, and some misdirection.

Which gives the film an air of mystery.

Although it's more of a supernatural thriller than it is a horror.

It's definitely worth watching.

Especially compared to a lot of the other original films that TubiTV has to offer.

Even if it is a bit basic.

3.5 out of 10.

Cabin Girl is the kind of psychological thriller that keeps you guessing, even when it stumbles. Packed with a rich story, layered characters, and just a hint of supernatural intrigue, it feels like a lovechild of Gone Girl and The Sixth Sense, with an added sprinkle of The Others for good measure. The film excels in crafting a captivating mystery-within-a-mystery, delivering red herrings like a magician pulling rabbits out of a very stylish hat.

The direction is generally strong, deftly juggling shifting tones and atmospheres, but it's not without hiccups. A few scenes drag on longer than a politician's speech, and some moments feel as heavy-handed as a hammer in a glass shop-padding out the runtime rather than enhancing the narrative.

That said, the performances are refreshingly above average. The cast injects enough gravitas to keep the tension taut, even when the pacing falters. The supernatural elements, meanwhile, are woven in with a light touch, adding an eerie charm without veering into camp.

For fans of brain-teasing mysteries with a side of atmospheric chills, Cabin Girl is well worth a watch. Just don't expect perfection-this girl stumbles occasionally, but she's got plenty of intriguing secrets to share.

After a highway accident during a road trip to get over the death of her parents, a travel-vlogger restarts her channel from a cabin she's decided to settle down in. But is the previous resident really gone?

Lively start, ends up a mess. The motivations of the characters are inept, not only at the highest level involving the trauma of the protagonist, but at the mid-level in the way others become involved with her, down to the most basic level of why characters move around in a scene.

What on earth has the death of her parents got to do with the story? Or the death of the previous occupant? Why on earth is there a romance with the mechanic? How on earth does she plot-point-alert bump into the doctor and the bar owner when she's going away from the van that she was just walking toward? It's like things just happen 'for reasons'. To put it another way, the action does not flow from specific motivation; rather, motivation is tacked on to the action so that you feel the director's hand.

The production values are mostly not bad, and I admit that I had a sense that the endless Nancy Drew cliches were a trail of symbols that would lead to a bizarre reveal of the character's psychology. But in the end it feels like a child showing you a colour-by-numbers picture plastered with crazy crayon.

The editing declines in quality, with too much footage of how a character gets from point A to point B, and repetition of shots that don't tell us anything new - particularly of the stalker, and that damn floorboard. The spooky bits ain't all that, with no feel for shadow and the music too obvious. Add in some flabby dialogue, and it's no wonder some of the performances are less than convincing.

I kinda liked the song over the end credits, but ... no - somebody is to blame.

In an age of meta, self-aware, and overly-layered 'horror' films, Cabin Girl is a nice example of doing the basics (good writing, good acting, good execution) the best you can first, and getting an engaging, titillating film.

Certainly more thriller than horror, Cabin Girl works in Hitchcockian fashion, focusing on real dramas that play out between real characters. It's kind of a secret weapon that many filmmakers have forgotten, that audiences can't help but be engaged with relatable characters, the choices they make, and the results they must contend with.

Great performances by Rose Lane Sanfilippo and Austin Scott, looking like both are ready to become household names. Deft execution with the camera reminds us that it's an effective tool.

Good watch from beginning to end!

Netflix movies have A list stars and 100 to 200 million dollar budgets. Tubi movies cast complete unknowns, character actors and C listers with budgets under a million dollars. Don't get me wrong, Tubi makes some real turds but they also make some above average movies like this one while Netflix continues to make dreck like Red Notice, Bright, Bird Box, etc.

This movie is well written and well directed. The lisp of the main actress was a little annoying, but other than that she was quite good, effectively portraying a woman losing her sanity. The male lead was very good and has a great onscreen presence. This movie is helped immensely by three very good character actors, Tergeson, Rispoli, and Weixler. Character actors like these deserve more praise in Hollywood.

This is a quick 80 minute watch that never bores and has a nice little twist at the end. Keep it up Tubi.