Ready Or Not

Ready Or Not

Starring Samara Weaving, Adam Brody, Mark O'Brien, Henry Czerny

Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett

The Story:
Grace (Samara Weaving) is finally marrying the love of her life, Alex (Mark O'Brien), who's family owns the wealthy Le Domas gaming company, and lives in a supremely lavish castle mansion.  Alex's family members seemingly have a distasteful feel for Grace - Alex's brother Daniel (Adam Brody) keeps making drunken advances on her, his father Tony (Henry Czerny) obviously dislikes her, his mother Becky (Andie MacDowell) is the only one who seemingly likes her, his aunt Helene (Nicky Guadagni) sits stoic and glares at her, and his sister Emilie (Melanie Scrofano) is too drugged up to even make the ceremony.  The family is dysfunctional, but Grace wants their approval because she truly loves Alex.

After the wedding, Grace finds out that the family has a long-standing tradition for anyone entering the family: a midnight game.  Each new member chooses a game at random, and Grace picks hide and seek, and the family seems to be upset by this decision, but they play anyway.  Grace thinks it's just a game, but when she sees Emilie accidentally kill one of the maids thinking it was her, she learns from Alex the real truth: whoever picks hide and seek is hunted down and sacrificed so the family can survive.  Grace has to survive the night in order to live, and uses all her ingenuity and cunning to make sure she sees the next day.

The Synopsis:
The slasher genre hit its zenith in the 80s with classics like "Friday the 13th," "Halloween" (even though the original came in the late 70s), and a slew of B-rated underdogs that remain classics to this day.  "Scream" and "I Know What You Did Last Summer" helped drive the subgenre in the 90s, but since 2000 it seemed to disappear almost entirely.  A few years ago "Happy Death Day" reignited the subgenre by making it more than just a clear-cut horror slasher, but infused its own unique blend of comedy as well.  "Ready Or Not" is another film that combines the slasher subgenre with comedy, and the result is a brilliant blend of the two, mixed in with a powerful lead performance and a stunning setting that encompasses the story as a whole.

Hardly anyone enjoys their in-laws, and "Ready Or Not" takes that concept and elevates it to new levels as Grace finds herself hunted by her new in-laws so they can sacrifice her before sunrise to stay alive.  It's a simple concept and the film doesn't really deviate from this idea from start to finish, which, thankfully, doesn't outstay its welcome.  The film kicks off with the wedding, and it's not too soon after the gory fun and games begin, and the tension doesn't let up throughout.  The story is well-written and acted, and the setting is extraordinary in its simplicity yet elegance.

Samara "Margot Robbie" Weaving shines as Grace, an actress who uses everything she has to really develop a character as more than just a final girl with no emotional center, but someone who begins the film as a sarcastic, intelligent girl and only gets stronger as the night progresses.  She finds unique ways to stay alive, and still also portrays herself as a helpless victim from time to time, showing that she's no Ellen Ripley but she's getting there.  She manages to keep surviving using her wits and strength, while offering some colorful humor throughout, providing some really laugh-out-loud moments in the midst of terror and fear.

Likewise, the supporting cast manages to give it their all as well.  Adam Brody is the most deeply written character of the family, as he balances tradition with just not giving a care.  Mark O'Brien's Alex wants to protect Grace at all costs, but also has a sense of family belonging since he never told her about the game beforehand.  Henry Czerny and Andie MacDowell are two acclaimed actors who unfortunately aren't given as much as they could've been given, but still ham up their performances to pitch-perfect perfection.  Yet the standouts of the family are Nicky Guadagni who plays Helene, an elderly woman who brandishes an axe and isn't afraid to kill and provides colorful commentary and some of the best lines outside of Grace's ("oh, it's you.  You continue to exist" is my new catch phrase), and Melanie Scrofano as Emilie, the daughter who's so doped up on drugs that she doesn't know what she's doing and ends up killing pretty much anyone who isn't Grace.

The manor itself is a fascinating character all its own, a Gothic-looking building that's equal parts elegant and frightening and provides a "Clue"-like atmosphere as there's several secret doors, hallways, and rooms that make you feel like you're watching a live-action adaptation of the classic board game.

The Summary:
What makes or breaks a horror film is the story and how it's performed, and "Ready Or Not" excels on both ends - it provides a unique, fresh take on the slasher subgenre while providing its own dark comedy, and brings it all together with compelling, humorous, and intelligent performances by all the players assembled.


The Score: A+