HOLLYWOOD—I absolutely entered the theater with the lowest of lowest expectations for the thriller “Ready or Not.” It’s a cross of a comedy and horror that is quite intelligent and enthralls the audience once the movie gets going. The movie stars Samara Weaving, as newlywed Grace, who just married Alex De Lomas (Mark O’Brien).
They say marrying into any family will bring chaos, but the De Lomas clan, is not your ordinary family. They are notorious for playing games whenever someone new marries into the family. It’s not your typical game, it’s one for survival and if you lose you’re dead. I loved the characters in this movie range from the odd to just kooky. Alex is estranged from his family, but at his wife’s pushing he allows her to meet them. In his own strange way, he’s hinting at her that it might not be a good idea if you want to live to see tomorrow. Too bad she doesn’t pick up on those clues.
There is Alex’s alcoholic brother, Daniel (Adam Brody), his sister Emilie who is a cocaine addict, his overbearing parents Tony (Henry Czerny) and Becky (Andie MacDowell), as well as a host of other relatives who like to get in on the killing spree. There is a bit of mythology in the flick that the movie doesn’t fully sell to the audience in my opinion, but if you just immerse yourself in the flick, you can overlook that slight hiccup.
From there, “Ready or Not” dives full-fledge into a game of hide-and-seek, where people die and in bloody fashion. There is no psycho killer chasing our core characters, it’s simply a game of wit and intelligence, as Grace does all in her power to gain the advantage over her new in-laws. The family really believes they have to indulge in killing Grace or pay the ultimate price: their life. Weaving is hands down the star of the movie, carrying the bulk of the narrative and the only character the audience truly sympathizes with.
“Ready or Not” soon becomes a tense cat-and-mouse game, where the underdog has a major disadvantage and just when you think all is lost, a curveball is delivered that reinvigorates the spectator yet again. This movie is a roller coaster that never drops too low to a point where you lose interest. Is it bloody?
Without a doubt. It has plenty of wit, clever dialogue, and an interesting premise that really hasn’t been seen in the horror realm. This movie was an absolute treat, and earns high marks for its level of originality. You laugh, you scream, you’re on the edge of your seat and most important of all you are entertained. Isn’t that what we all want when it comes to movies?
