If you're unsure if you're "ready" to see Ready or Not (2019) please run, don't walk, I can assure you, you ARE ready! This is a fun ensemble horror-comedy that really gives us it's all! The characters are developed, the acting is superb, the gore is top-notch, and the story has a very, very satisfying ending.
*Spoilers*
Ready or Not takes place over the course of a night. Obscenely rich Alex and humble
Grace are getting married at his parent's estate. They've earned their money
creating playing cards, then board games, sporting goods, and now
sports teams. Suspiciously, he gives her multiple chances to call the wedding off, but
she's determined to marry into his dysfunctional family for love, not
money. He knows something she doesn't.
On
the wedding night, the immediate family is called to the game room, where
the new family member gets told the history of the family fortune and
are given a wooden box that draws a game for them to play. It could be
Old Maid or Chess, but Grace draws Hide and Seek. What everyone there
knows except for Grace is that when you draw Hide and Seek you will be hunted to death. Now she must
die before dawn, or everyone in the family dies. These are the
sacrifices they make to keep their wealth in the name of Satan.
Alex
never told her about Hide and Seek because he didn't want to scare her away, and because
it's only happened one other time in his lifetime where someone drew
that card. Um, I think I'd still want to know!
Grace
thinks the game night is just a weird family tradition, and she hides
while each family member is given an antiquated weapon to kill her
with, except Alex. The distribution of different weapons to the different characters reminded me of Clue...Emilie with a six shooter in
the guest bedroom...(sorry I warned you, this is a "spoiler" section.)
Alex
tries to get his new bride out of the house, but things go awry. It's a true roller coaster ride. You learn everyone's motives, but don't
know who's good or bad until the end.
You
see rich people trying to work for what they believe is the right thing,
and Grace has always been alone fighting for herself. So there's a bit of socio-economic underpinnings in the story. She's a true final girl and doesn't need the help of a man to save
her. She really evolves from beginning to end. Best of all, she's played by Samara Weaving from The Babysitter, another enjoyable horror comedy.
I love the homage
to Heathers at the end where she sits on the steps of the mansion while
everything is exploding and on fire behind her and lights up a
cigarette. Perfection.
Ready or Not
Heathers
The practical effects are refreshing and very well done. The lighting is warm like polished wood. It's darkly funny and fresh. I give it five out of five very sharp daggers. As they say, "Till death do us part."
Here's the trailer...
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