Don’t Sleep on Dave Bautista: Knock at the Cabin Is a Quiet Masterclass — Stream It Now on Peacock
Dave Bautista stars in M. Night Shyamalan’s horror film Knock at the Cabin, which is now available to stream on Peacock. The film centers on a family taken hostage by four strangers who say that one family member must be sacrificed to prevent an apocalypse.
Overview
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan, Knock at the Cabin follows a family on vacation who are confronted by four strangers. These strangers say they have been shown visions of a coming global catastrophe and that one family member must die to stop it. The film was released theatrically in 2023 and later became available to stream on Peacock.
Bautista’s role
Dave Bautista plays Leonard, one of the four intruders. Leonard is portrayed as a large, tattooed man who speaks gently and carries a sense of responsibility for the group’s mission. Throughout the film, Leonard is a central figure among the captors and delivers extended monologues that explain the group’s beliefs about the impending disaster.
Supporting cast and plot
The family at the center of the story includes a married couple and their adopted daughter. The intruders are Leonard (Bautista), Adriane (Abby Quinn), Sabrina (Nikki Amuka-Bird), and Redmond (Rupert Grint). The parents are played by Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge, and the daughter is played by Kristen Cui.
According to the film’s plot, after the family refuses to sacrifice a member, the intruders begin killing one of their own to trigger disasters. As each intruder dies, news reports in the film show disasters occurring worldwide. The story raises questions about whether the visions are genuine or a shared delusion, and the family’s relationships are tested as events escalate.
Reception and structure
Critics and viewers have noted the film’s structure: the tension builds over the first two acts and culminates in a third act where the consequences of the intruders’ warnings are made explicit. In the film, Leonard becomes the final intruder to die. His final monologue and scenes with the daughter are prominent moments before the film’s conclusion shows global events following the deaths.
Where to watch
Knock at the Cabin is available to stream on Peacock. Additionally, many consider Dave Bautista one of the most visible wrestler-turned-actors; for context, see this list of wrestlers-turned-actors.
