Movie Review: I Was Not Ready For How Great “Ready Or Not” Truly Is

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

Let’s be honest, August through September are some of the worst months for films that audiences have every year, although January through February still takes the cake. Every once in a while you get gems but we don’t really know which ones they will be going into the year. I remember seeing the trailer for “Ready or Not” a few months back and being pleasantly intrigued by the concept. I can confirm that the movie is some of the most fun I’ve experienced in the theater this year.

Samara Weaving plays Grace, a young woman who marries Alex Le Domas (Mark O’Brien) of the Le Domas family. They are a wealthy family who has a tradition of playing a random game after a wedding in the family. Things go awry when Grace picks Hide and Seek and the family is not only trying to find her but kill her.

Weaving and O’Brien’s chemistry is as good as it gets. The two really bounce off of each other very well and their connection is damn genuine which is rare in films nowadays. Their relationship is honestly the best part of the whole film which leads me to probably my only flaw. There is a section of the movie where the two are separated and immediately the film loses some of the charm that had been carrying it earlier. The rest of the family bring great performances and play their individual character roles to a tee. The standout was Nicky Guadagni, who plays a creepy aunt that is not only eerie but oddly captivating. I was very impressed by how much I fell in love with these characters with only a ninety-minute runtime.

The story itself is very funny and you are honestly laughing from the first second to the last. Not only are some moments hilarious but certain quirks that each character possesses are brilliant and don’t ever become self-indulgent. Even though it is funny, the movie knows when to get serious and those two moods are balanced perfectly. Normally in films of this genre, characters do very idiotic things to keep the story going but that never happens in “Ready or Not.” It was refreshing to see characters make good survival decisions for once. I also loved how all the characters are very nuanced and aren’t just clear-cut personalities who are predictable. The cast does a fantastic job of bringing the screenplay by Guy Busick and Ryan Murphy to life.

Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are maybe the true stars of the film. A lot of aspects of this movie could have fallen apart but they found a way to tell it with very little hiccups. Speaking on technical elements, the production design (mostly the house) is immersive and very detailed. The score is not one-dimensional and fits every single mood this film wants to portray. Gillet and Bettinelli-Olpin do a good job of making this an R-Rated film but also by not going over the top with it. It’s not overly forceful in its profanity and also gory when it needs to be. The duo has my attention from here on out.

So if haven’t made it clear enough, GO SEE THIS FILM! From the cast to the screenplay to the direction, it all comes together to present a funny and intelligent story that is almost too much fun. As soon as you can, buy a ticket for “Ready or Not.”

In Theaters Wednesday, August 21st