There have been many times that I’ve gotten my hopes up when it comes to big-budget horror movies, only to feel let down. Well, that certainly is not the case with the Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett directed 2019 horror flick Ready or Not. It left me feeling almost giddy. Few horror films give me that feeling these days.
Samara Weaving stars as Grace, a bride eager to please her in-laws on her wedding day, not knowing that her wedding night would become a fight for survival. After the wedding Grace learns from her new husband Alex (Mark O’Brien) that there’s a unique family tradition, the couple must play a game with the family. She laughs as she draws the Hide and Seek card from a dealing box, but it’s no laughing matter. That’s when she learns that if she’s found before dawn, she will be killed. And chaos ensues.
And you thought your in-laws were bad.
Ready or Not is one of the best films of the year. It has something for everyone, a ton of non-stop action, gore, and a badass final girl that left me hella impressed. Grace is realistic, tough and refuses to stop fighting. She’s human, down to earth, and the kind of character that you can really respect and cheer for. In a time when female characters are still exploited and often just used as a glorified piece of meat, Grace is a breath of fresh air. She reminds me of Jamie Lee’s Curtis iconic final girl Laurie Strode, with a modern twist. Samara Weaving is absolutely incredible in this movie. I knew she was a talented actress, but after watching Ready or Not I’ve found a new respect for her. I believe this is her best role yet.
When it comes to the groom Alex, Mark O’Brien, he played his part as a concerned husband who wants to save his wife, until the last part of the film. That’s my only gripe about the movie, his switch from a protector to a preditor after siding with his family moments before the movie ends ruins the character in my opinion. You don’t see it coming.
Adam Brody, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell, Melanie Scrofano, Kristian Bruun, Nicky Guadagni, and Elyse Levesque also star as the insane family in the movie who are convinced that the family must sacrifice Grace in order to prevent a curse from killing the family. They are convinced that they must carry out the centuries-old tradition of hunting a new member of the family to appease a mysterious entity.
The supernatural twist in the film was a complete surprise. I’m so glad that it was not spoiled during the advertising process.
I won’t say anymore. I don’t want to spoil everything. You NEED to see Ready or Not which is currently on VOD. If you want to wait and buy it on Blu-ray or DVD you’re in luck, it arrives on December 3rd. So, as for my verdict, Ready or Not is getting a 4 1/2 out of 5. I had to deduct a little because of the Alex character. But all in all, Ready or Not is a brilliant, fun flick that reminds us of the lengths we’ll go to please our in-laws but that we still need to stand up for ourselves.
