10s Movie Review - Ready or Not

Director: Matt Bettinello-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Genre: Thriller/ Horror/ Comedy
Runtime: 95 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Samara Weaving, Mark O’Brien, Adam Brody, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell

Description: A bride’s (Samara Weaving) wedding night takes a sinister turn when her eccentric new in-laws force her to take part in a terrifying game.

Review: “Ready or Not” is entirely set on and around the estate of a ealthy family that owns its fortune in large part to the production of board games. Young Grace will know this too, because as soon as she wants to start the wedding night with her new husband Alex, a rather special tradition intervenes. It prescribes that someone who marries into this family has to play a randomly chosen game on the wedding night with the other family members. In Grace’s case this turns out to be hide-and-seek. She is told beforehand that participating is more important than winning, but in this game losing turns out to not be an option either. There is a rather mature variant being played: Grace is the only one who has to hide, after which the whole in-law family tries to find her… and finish her off.
An explanation for this thirst of blood lies in the conviction of the family members that they are cursed and will die if they do not catch their prey before sunrise. Well, as if that initial premise wasn’t bizarre enough. But somewhere the film can hardly be judged on this utterly idiotic premise, because in its banality it is so wonderfully simple. And I did love this concept. The film doesn’t pretend to be high art for a moment (although the set design does look like a living piece of art), so let’s not try to make it that way.
The fact that the viewer remains in limbo right up to the last scene is the main reason the film works.
Samara Weaving is without a doubt the best thing about “Ready or Not”. Fairy unknown with the bigger audience, Weaving does a fine job in carrying this film and her character is fantastic. She had to undergo a lot of and we see her character develop withing the runtime of the film. With mentioning character development, there is also the downside of the film. Most of the characters don’t have depth and their motives are a vague.
I always like it when something goes against your expectations. But I think everyone was pleasantly surprised by “Ready or Not”. I love a good thriller/ horror film that is combined with some good laughs. It’s a definite fun time and an original premise. No masterpiece by all means, but super fun for the horror fans among us.

Rating: 3,5 / 5