Review: Cabin Fever (2002)

Stars: Rider Strong, Cerina Vincent

Budget: $1.5 Million

Directed By: Eli Roth

Early 2000's horror really turned up the body horror and viscera to new levels. A few such examples of these are the movie we are reviewing today, Cabin Fever, the Saw films and a multitude of other movies like these both good and bad.

This film was Eli Roth's debut in directing, he would then go on to do other things like Hostel. The funny thing is this is also based on a real life experience of Roth's too.
He was holidaying in Iceland when he contracted a flesh eating skin infection.
A lot of sex and nudity in this film too but it does help display the atrocity of the virus as it ravages the teens bodies.

When an out back homeless guy comes across a dead dog in the forest. Unknown to him (but i mean come on look at that shit!) the dog infects him with the flesh eating virus. We then join our titular teen group of five Jeff, Marcy, Karen, Bert and Paul on their way to vacation. They have rented a small cabin in the woods!
That's not the setting for every horror movie in the world now is it!

While shooting squirrels Bert accidentally shoots the hermit who is now looking a little worse for wear pleading for help from him. Bert gets suitably freaked out then flees the scene back to the others.
That night while they are around the camp fire a friendly traveler with his pet dog joins them by the fire. It does start to storm quite heavy so they invite Grimm and his dog Dr Mambo to pack up camp and come back to the cabin.
While they are waiting the sick hermit comes upon them begging for help again, they refuse to help him locking the cabin up from him. He tries to steal their car only to erupt in vomiting blood. This does however bring out some of the group to stop him. In his pain enraged state he goes to charge at Marcy and Karen. They kill the hermit by accidentally setting him on fire, they go to look for help but only come across a woman who they quickly learn is the hermits cousin so they leave.

Paul does later get help from Deputy Winston who says about sending them some help. While they are waiting Paul comforts Karen they get a little close but as they're about to have sex he notices she has a rash all around her groin area. They end up 'quarantining' her in a shed outside.
Bert manages to fix the truck but he then vomits blood which he tries to hide, only successfully for a few minutes till the other guys realise. He then takes the truck fleeing.
Jeff takes the remaining beer and flees the scene leaving the remaining guys there.

Bert comes across a convenience store where he asks for help, he is bitten by the store owners kid only to have the store owner and two locals turn on him then. Marcy and Paul are distraught at the cabin, Paul comforts her which leads to impulse sex. After Marcy has a bath then realises she's infected when shaving her legs strips of flesh start to come away.
Paul has gone since then, while out he notices the hermits corpse has gone into the towns reservoir, thus infecting the water source.

Meanwhile Marcy stumbles about outside only to be killed by Dr Mambo, Paul then finds Karen being eaten by an infected Dr Mambo, he kills the dog with Bert's gun, then puts an end to Karen's suffering too. Bert manages to make it back despite the pursuers only to be gunned down by the three men. Paul in turn kills all three of the men then.
Alone Paul goes looking for Jeff, he doesn't find him but does come across Grimms corpse, giving up he takes the convenience store owners truck. He then realises he's infected too which leads to him hitting a deer.

We'll leave it here from THN he does bump into the deputy again but there's a good portion left after that too as well as some good story and sequel baiting. In this scary time this film can show you just how quick a virus can burst out of control based on infection. Aside from that the terror is well acted and the story is very straight forward, it's a good watch.
THN awards Cabin Fever (2002) a solid 4 out of 5 stars with a recommendation to watch.