Ever since "Scream", horror has become a terribly self-aware genre. It is the "we know you know" genre, if you like. I regard this as something of a pity as it robs horror of the conviction it used to have. That sense of THIS COULD HAPPEN TO YOU has gone.
It's this lack of conviction that I think explains the rise of the found-footage and torture-porn genres. Found-footage attempts to get around the problem by simulating reality by having you trapped with inane conversation delivered by complete dullards for 90 minutes after which SOMETHING MIGHT HAPPEN. Torture-porn goes straight for that visceral "ooya" empathatic-hurty feeling you get whenever you hear a friend broke their leg skiing. But I digress.
"The Cabin in the Woods" is definitely self-aware, and deals out those familiar horror cards with affection and humour. It's a clever, fun ghost ride of a movie that pokes sly fun at the audience for this sort of twisted entertainment even as it entertains. But it never really rises above "jumpy" on the scare-scale. It's too friendly and winky for that.
I'm not saying you won't enjoy it, but do set your expectations to "fun and forgettable", rather than a horror classic. I think we have to go pre-Scream for those, back to the time before they knew we knew they knew.
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