I first watched this film back in early September at an advanced screening but my blogging slump meant that it’s been sitting, half-written, in my drafts for a month! So better late than never, here is my thoughts on the comedy-horror, Ready Or Not.

The film sees young bride, Grace, (Samara Weaving) about to marry into the Le Domas family, a somewhat eccentric yet absurdly wealthy gaming dynasty who started out thanks to the support of their mystery benefactor, Mr. Le Bail. As is often the case in movies these days, the Le Domas family have developed a series of traditions and superstitions over the generations, the main one being that to be fully accepted into the family you need to play a game, decided by a magical box. I know, right.

Whilst most of the games are simple and innocuous enough (Chess, Checkers, Old Maid… blah, blah blah), there is one that holds a lot of weight within the family dynasty, Hide and Seek, which of course Grace picks.

Here’s where the eccentricities of the family really shine through, as they believe that when the ‘Hide and Seek’ card is picked, the wannabe new member of the family must be hunted, injured and sacrificed to the satanic spirit of the late Mr. Le Bail. If they fail to find and sacrifice their prize before dawn, then a terrible tragedy will befall the family.

Let me give you a minute to let that sink in…

Now, I will put my hands up and admit that the plot is a little bit absurd but it is very cleverly delivered. Ready or Not is not a film that takes itself too seriously, falling more in line with the likes Shaun of the Dead than The Shining, but, for me, that is what makes the film a rather unexpected but welcome treat.

The cast as a whole are pretty likeable, and while they don’t really add a whole lot to the overall experience, they do offer a strong supporting crutch to our heroine, brilliantly played by Samara Weaving. Personally, I think it is Weaving that makes this film really enjoyable. She is tough without being aggressively so, sarcastic without being disingenuous and her screams are not the annoyingly screechy horror-cliché screams, more of a realistic guttural feeling.

That being said, it is not without its flaws. There is a strong supernatural element that seems to be given a lot of weight but is then not really explored to any degree, which is why this film will not stand the test of time, however it does make a great date-night movie.

I think it is fair to say that this film will divide its viewers, despite the ridiculousness of the plot, I actually found this film immensely enjoyable. Mark, on the other hand, thought it was a bit crap, so I would definitely recommend giving it a go and making up your own mind.

Have you already seen it? Let me know what side of the fence you land on.

P.S. Don’t watch the trailer, it pretty much gives the whole film away lol

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