Book-to-movie adaptations have a lot to prove to both new audiences and dedicated readers of the original story. At the present time, these film releases are taking over the theaters. This years’ adaptation of The Cabin at the End of the World, based on Paul Tremblay’s The Cabin at the End of the World, is another in a long line of books that’s been adapted for the screen, with legendary filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan at the helm.
Since the book was published in 2018, both it and its adaptation have received mixed reactions from readers and viewers alike. However, the straightforward premise of the mystery thriller novel certainly caught the attention of the public. Aside from the difference in the title, there are notable similarities and differences from the original story; let’s unpack the biggest changes.
~ Spoiler Alert ~
What Happened in The Cabin at the End of the World?
Wen and her parents, Eric and Andrew, are held captive by four armed strangers while on vacation at a lonely cabin in the woods, and forced to make an impossible decision to save the end of the world. Having little access to the outside world, confused and afraid, the family must choose whether they believe or not before everything is gone.
How do they easily ignore the horror of what has happened and the expanding horror of what is happening and what will happen?
The Cabin at the End of the World effortlessly captures the emotional struggle and moral challenges that the characters are facing. I love how simple yet complicated the concept is. It makes me really think and sympathize with all the characters. More than that, the novel prompts the reader to question the decision that they would make under similar circumstances.
Leonard, Sabrina, Adriane, and Redmond explain that they’re there to prevent the apocalypse waiting to happen while Wen, Eric and Andrew are forced process an impossible task to make a sacrifice. The premise may sound vague, but Tremblay does a fantastic job of playing with the psychological reasoning of each of the characters.
How did Knock at the Cabin Differ From the Book?
The film initially follows everything in the novel quite closely. From the first encounter between Wen and Leonard while catching and naming grasshoppers. I was captivated by how the movie perfectly captured the innocence of a child and the peculiar friendliness of a stranger. The exchanges of lines between them are also very close to those in the book.
The differences initially make themselves known in minor ways. For instance, in The Cabin at the End of the World, the homophobic past attack on Andrew-which occurred prior to the start of the story-occurred when Andrew was on his own at a bar, without Eric present. In the film, Andrew and Eric were out together when it occurred. However the attack was still committed by Redmond’s character, so no big shift that way. Leonard’s appearance is also described differently; in the novel he’s a younger man, with long, light coloured hair. Again, not the biggest change, and Dave Bautista’s performance more than makes up for the change in look
The Biggest Differences Between the Book and the Film
We will go on.
The biggest changes occur within the latter third of Knock at the Cabin. By this point, Wen is mostly untouched-at least physically-by anyone, and able to help her parents when possible to free themselves. However, The Cabin at the End of the World puts forward a much more tragic outcome to her storyline. During a scuffle between Andrew and Leonard over a gun, a stray bullet is fired, striking and killing Wen. This is a much bleaker end for the sweet child, who provides a sense of wonder and naïveté to the story.
This devastating event completely shifts the course of the ending as well. Knock at the Cabin wraps with Eric deciding to indeed sacrifice himself in order to prevent a full scale apocalypse, leaving behind a grieving husband and daughter. However, following Wen’s untimely death in The Cabin at the End of the World, the two men lose the will to care one way or the other about the potential end of life on the planet, and leave together without choosing an official sacrifice.
Does Knock at the Cabin end the Same Way as the Book?
Movie going audiences have a tendency to prefer a happier-or at least more optimistic-ending to a story. This may explain why Shyamalan chose to provide a more complete end to his film. Knock at the Cabin ends following Eric’s sacrifice. Andrew and Wen leave the cabin, driving to a nearby diner. Once there, they view news reports indicating that all of the seemingly apocalyptic events taking place have stopped-a pretty clear indication that Eric’s death was not in vain.
The Cabin at the End of the World offers a much bleaker and ambiguous ending for its characters and the world they live in. With their daughter dead (which according to Leonard was accidental and therefore does not count as a sacrifice), Andrew and Eric simply choose to ignore a possible end of the world, and leave the cabin without choosing to die. Readers are given no indication as to the outcome of their choice; does everyone die? Is there really an apocalypse happening that only they could have prevented? We simply don’t know, and are left to make up our own minds about the ultimate outcome.
A Darker Ending, or the Hollywood Treatment?
The ambiguity of the ending is part of what was so thought provoking about The Cabin at the End of the World. It causes the reader to question decision made throughout the course of the novel. In contrast, Knock at the Cabin may disappoint viewers by tying up all loose ends and leaving nothing to the imagination. It doesn’t challenge you to think about the characters’ decisions as much, whether you agree with them or not.
Knock at the Cabin is an overall entertaining film, filled with strong performances and an intriguing premise. It’s the altered outcome and ending to the story that falls short. Optimistic endings are appreciated, but not always necessary. There’s something to be said for a story that presents an ambiguous ending. It asks more of its audience, and gives them the ability to make their own choices while consuming the media. But like it or hate it – Paul Tremblay himself has opinions – Knock at the Cabin is another film that helps bring an excellent book to the masses. For readers, that’s always something worth celebrating.
