The Cabin in the Woods finally hits theaters this Friday after months, if not years, of buzz and hype. Numerous online writers have been heralding it as one of the most original films in years, and they aren’t wrong. But with such an original film, how do you keep your viewing experience fresh and unspoiled in an era of internet hype and spoilers? The answer: it’s difficult, but will be well worth the effort.

As I wrote in a previous column, I have recently stopped watching trailers altogether. It was a decision that was a long time coming, as nearly every trailer these days gives away far too much of the plot and often spoils – or hints at spoilers in – the movie. Of course, this decision is up to the individual, as most film fans eagerly watch trailers, they help you decide whether to see a particular film, and often build your anticipation for a movie you’d see anyway.

I’m here to tell you there is a special case with The Cabin in the Woods. With only a few days before the release, the chances are that the majority of people reading this have already been at least partially spoiled by the movie from the numerous trailers and TV spots. I’m not accusing Lionsgate of mishandling the marketing of this movie, as it’s nearly impossible to market this movie without giving too much away.

I met this problem while writing a review of the film (which will be released Friday), as giving more than the most basic plot set-up is giving away too much. The problem with doing this from a marketing standpoint is how can you show potential audiences Cabin in the Woods is more than a generic horror flick without showing scenes that ruin the film? We’ve come to a point where (most) people won’t simply trust an ad telling them something is original, people need proof.

Having gone into seeing The Cabin in the Woods with no idea what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised and really had a blast with the movie. But having gone back after the fact to watch trailers, I can’t help but be disappointed that they even exist. Yes, they’re important to get people into the theater, and I want more than anything to see this movie succeed financially, as I support little in film more than originality, but anyone who have seen the trailers will no doubt not have the same exhilarating experience as I had. Yes, they should enjoy it and there will definitely be surprises, but the full experience will be lost.

Any movie critic’s goal is to express their own personal feeling towards the particular film they’re reviewing. Therefore when you can convince readers to go see a movie you enjoyed and support, that is the ultimate goal for a critic. That being said, we face the same problem the marketers at Lionsgate face. Can we just say, “trust me, you’ll enjoy The Cabin in the Woods”? Perhaps. But it won’t have the same effect on readers compared with other films, where one can explain at the very least the essential plot of the movie.

This is not the case with The Cabin in the Woods. There are so many twists, turns and unexpected developments and ideas within the movie that to ruin one would ruin one the experience.

Particularly in mainstream filmmaking, originality is the rarest quality of all. Not only is it hard to explore the unexplored after over 100 years of filmmaking, but studios aren’t as likely to fund a movie that doesn’t have an already established success rate. There’s a reason movies have similar story-structure, there’s a reason that even somewhat casual moviegoers can predict the outcome of nearly every movie to hit theaters. These generic story-structures and plots are safe and they work. Filmmaking is still a business, and when you are guaranteed success with a The Hangover 3 (sorry for picking on you, Hangover), why pass up this opportunity for a movie without a built-in audience?

So with all this in mind, how can I personally convince readers to see this film? There is certainly a built-in fan-base of writer Joss Whedon, and there are also plenty of horror fans out there. But without giving any plot-points away, can people have faith in what they read that a movie is worth the price of admission? Are vast audiences likely to see a movie which appears to be a rather generic horror film? Probably not. At the same time, if I were to explain that this movie isn’t really even all that scary, would those same horror fans be even less willing to see it? Probably.

What it comes down to is that any fan of movies, horror buff or not, will enjoy The Cabin in the Woods for what it is. What that is exactly can’t really be explained without giving too much away. What it comes down to is that Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon have created an immensely unique and watchable film that is most-likely to become a cult-classic than a commercial success. I can only hope that whatever outcome this film has, it will gain enough of an audience to encourage others to explore the unexplored.