“Ready or Not” (R)
The horror film genre is taking a welcome roll of the dice with “Ready or Not,” a creepy horror comedy with a unique enough plot to keep you occupied for its brisk, 95-minute runtime. With hints of “The Most Dangerous Game,” it’s not a groundbreaking film by any stretch of the imagination, but it also doesn’t rely on conventional horror film fare, either. What it excels in is establishing a foreboding, Gothic tone where danger lurks around every corner, which is a good thing considering the protagonist for the greater duration of the film is trying to avoid a family filled with homicidal maniacs.
AUDIO: Hear Tim’s review of “Ready or Not” with Tom Barnard on “The KQ Morning Show” on KQRS-FM. Segment is brought to you by Michael Bryant and Bradshaw & Bryant.
Samara Weaving, whose had some training in the horror comedy genre with a three-episode stint on the under-appreciated series “Ash vs. Evil Dead,” is terrific as Grace, a new bride who weds her fiancé Alex (Mark O’Brien) on his filthy rich family’s sprawling estate. Before Grace can become an official part of Alex’s family, though, she must participate in bizarre midnight ritual where she plays a game with his eccentric family that earned its fortune as the inventor of famous board games.
To begin with, Grace must draw a card from a mysterious box, which reads “Hide and Seek.” But it’s the worst possible pick the new bride could have made, since that game involves every family member hunting Grace down to kill her before the sun rises. If she makes it through the night — and this new bride is no pushover — Grace wins and the family faces a grim payback.
While “Ready or Not” is billed as a horror comedy, there’s definitely more blood and guts involved than there are laughs. That’s not to say the film doesn’t have its fair share of comedy, though, particularly when the laughs arise of cringe-inducing horrific situations. Otherwise, when the film goes for straight-up comedy, the setups sometimes feel forced, which leaves gaping holes where the audience is wondering whether they should laugh or gasp.
Co-written and co-directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the biggest thing “Ready or Not” has going for it is the Gothic atmosphere they create in the film’s gorgeous but creepy mansion, and the bizarre characters they populate it with.
AUDIO: Hear Tim’s review of “Ready or Not” with Paul Douglas and Jordana Green on “Paul and Jordana” on WCCO-AM. Segment is brought to you by Michael Bryant and Bradshaw & Bryant.
Henry Czerny and Andie MacDowell are wonderfully weird and whimsical as Alex’s mom and dad, while Alex’s older brother, David (Adam Brody), is the only sane one in the bunch, as he wallows in guilt and remorse for participating in the game after witnessing as child a potential new family member losing the game in a cruel manner. All of the family members, though, harbor an even more troubling secret, which rears its ugly head as the game nears its conclusion at dawn.
While “Ready or Not” is far from perfect, there’s no question that it ends with a bang, featuring an explosive, laugh-out-loud funny final act which makes the whole film worthwhile. Fair warning, though: being it’s a horror film, it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that involves a lot of blood, so some audience members are bound to get queasy. But given that filmmakers clearly intended to make an R-rated gorefest, why play around?
Lammometer: 7 (out of 10)
Tim Lammers reviews movies weekly for “The KQ92 Morning Show,” WCCO Radio, WJON-AM, KLZZ-FM, “The Tom Barnard Podcast” and “The BS Show” with Bob Sansevere. On TV, Tim has made hundreds of guest appearances on “KARE 11 News at 11” (NBC).
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