★★★★★
A bride's wedding night takes a sinister turn when her eccentric new in-laws force her to take part in a terrifying game.
Classification: 18
There's a lot of pressure on your wedding night; the expectations, the commitments, the murderous in-laws who want to kill you to appease their satanic masters, but one thing's for sure it's a night you will never forget. Ready or Not captures all those turbulent emotions in a masterpiece of horror and comedy that is perfect from beginning to end. Directing duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett take the razor-sharp script of perfect setup and payoff and deliver a darkly, twisted tale of love, family, and tradition all while playing the most delightfully demented game of hide and seek. Both comedy and horror are played straight and are treated with maturity allowing for moments of family squabbling to lead to righteous laughter especially any scene where Henry Czerny as the family patriarch loses his cool as the night unfurls. When the horror and gore strike the audience will jump, scream and cover their eyes as Samara Weaving's blood-curdling scream echoes with the disturbing revelations of the Le Domas family.
Even with the satanist ritual angle, every development in Ready or Not feels natural because of the strength of the script which makes sure to focus on the humanity of the characters rather than drawn-out exposition or unnecessary violence or gore. That's not to say the film doesn't deliver with its bloody horror but every gunshot, knife slash, or axe swing is done to further the story and character development rather than just shock the audience. It's a realistic and engaging escalation of stakes, Samara Weaving's Grace doesn't suddenly become a badass, when she tears away from her wedding frock in lieu of sneakers, a double-barrel shotgun and a bandolier of comically oversized hunting ammunition it comes from the emotional journey she is taken through. A genuine delight of Ready or Not is Weaving's performance as she conveys Grace's psychological and physical torment with raw intensity, giving the audience a deeply empathetic protagonist to latch onto and root for as she fights for any advantage over her tormentors.
Weaving's knockout performance is accompanied by a terrific ensemble as Ready or Not hosts several hilarious and malicious villains; the La Domas family. As Adam Brody's Daniel Le Domas puts it best "the rich really are different" because while the family is on a murderous quest to appease a family quest, it comes from a place of tradition rather than malice. Great one-liners from the characters just show how ill-equipped and unprepared some of them are to handle their game of hide and seek, a great recurring gag of Melanie Scrofano's Emilie La Domas constantly misfiring weapons causing more trouble, frustrating her parents and heightening the tension between the group. Grace isn't being hunted by faceless monsters but real characters with complicated histories with each other, this level of detail enriches the tension of the film but also allows for great scenes of comedy as family bickering between Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell, and the rest reminds the audience of the humanity in all the characters.
That humanity makes Ready or Not so engaging with Czerny, MacDowell and especially Adam Brody's performances. The rich are different because they are so beholden to their fear of breaking the pact that made them wealthy, with Brody's physicality of self-loathing over hunting his sister-in-law being a standout of the film. The La Domas family don't want to kill Grace except for the chilling Aunt Helene they are all just terrified of what would happen if they don't go through with it. Mark O'Brien as Alex La Domas, Grace's new husband does what he can to protect her but the film makes sure to never lose the effect of Grace being isolated from the real world. O'Brien's scenes with Brody and MacDowell is what gives dramatic weight to the La Domas madness, because while it's darkly hilarious to see these American aristocrats brandish crossbows and shotguns and run through their lavish mansion, its the hesitation, fear and remorse from seeing Alex suffer because of their actions that give the carnage a dark context. A mother wants her son to be happy, an older brother looks out for the younger sibling, a father wants what's best for the family; standard family behaviour has been twisted in this disturbing cycle of violence and if they have their way it will continue if they capture Grace.
These fantastic characters have a gorgeous film to run around in, the production design and cinematography of Ready or Not captures a rich gothic atmosphere. The La Domas mansion is a classic horror trope of hidden passageways, grand architecture, vast grounds and dark secrets as the location never loses its edge over the audience. The colour scheme lends to a classic nature of the story with dark greens, blacks and blues contrasted against harsh reds and oranges, just raw intensity against the supposed sophistication and class of their environment. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett have their direction never lose sight of the high stakes despite amazing moments of comedy and a large part of that is how they allow the location to feel like a character itself. The estate is all-encompassing, an inescapable reminder for Grace that she is out of her depth and the next room she enters could mean her doom. No stone is left unturned by Ready or Not as every last detail receives its payoff to deliver an amazing cinematic experience.
A tour-de-force in every regard, Ready or Not is unlikely to be an awards contender or box office giant but it is secure in the knowledge of its perfection of horror-comedy. Weaving and the whole cast deliver incredible performances that thrill to no end alongside bloody gore that digs deep into the audience. A classic in the making, multiple viewings of the film will be sure to reveal more brilliance in its screenwriting, visuals and directing as every element of the film works in unison to deliver the best experience for the audience. Fans of the genre will be delighted with how it puts character and narrative first allowing for themes of family and tradition to resonate and connect with the horror elements more naturally. It's perfection in the unlikeliest ways and Ready or Not is sure to deliver a far more exhilarating wedding night experience than whatever awaits your future nuptials.
Director: #MattBettinelliOlpin, #TylerGillett
Release Date: September 25th 2019
Trailer:
Written review copyright ©CoreyBullochReviews
Images and Synopsis from the Internet Movie Database
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