DVD Reviews

Cabin Fever

Cabin Fever had a strong showing at the Toronto Film Festival, and Lions Gate picked it up. It has finally been released on DVD, and is loaded with extras.

When four friends spend a weekend in an isolated cabin they come in contact with the colorful locals, and the flesh-eating virus that methodically kills them off one by one.

First time filmmaker, Eli Roth, borrows heavily from Evil Dead with the locale and tries to tread the same ground. Several eccentric characters and vast amounts of blood are the order of the day, but the gore could have been pushed a bit further. Still, there are plenty of startling moments and you even manage to get in a chuckle or two.

The DVD serves as a platform for Roth's strange sense of humor with a "Chickvision" version that blocks the nastier scenes with some well-manicured, super imposed hands. There's also a collection of early shorts by the director called "Rotten Fruit", which brings stop motion animation to a new low.

The soundtrack kicks with an active Dolby Digital 5.1 mix and the widescreen transfer is also top notch.

Cabin Fever is a nice return to the down and dirty horror of the 80's and a great DVD package. Recommended.

Review By Harley Solomon