I Was Not Ready for Ready or Not

Ready or Not (2019)

Ready or Not is one of those horror thrillers that doesn’t get a lot of initial buzz, but it deserves it, like Cabin in the Woods or Drag Me to Hell. Hopefully, it gains steam, because it is one of the most interesting movies in a while. The story is that in order to officially become a member of a wealthy family, she must play a game on her wedding night. The game she must play is a deadly version of hide and seek. The entire family, husband and all, must hunt her down before sunrise or misfortune will befall the family. That premise is wild and clever and is executed brilliantly. This movie hits all of the right notes. It is similar to Get Out, where it is a claustrophobic escape story with one setting for the majority of the movie. It is even legitimately funny at times, but unlike many thrillers, the humor does not detract from the story. Ready or Not is still tense and ominous when is must be, using its tone and set pieces to simultaneously build up the lead and her pursuers. The bride is played by Samara Weaving, who was also brilliant in Netflix’s The Babysitter. Her character is fully formed and infinitely likeable by the end of the brisk 95-minute runtime. Beyond her, every family member is given at least one major moment for development, especially Adam Brody as the brother-in-law. Brody and Weaving were definitely the strongest parts of the movie. Brody does an excellent job of chewing scenery, but it actually helps the movie. I do have to warn you that it is gory at points and that will turn people away, like the elderly couple that left after a maid is shot in the face. And it definitely got worse from there. Ready or Not was a fun and unique thriller that deserves more credit than it is receiving. I give Ready or Not 88 out of 97, 98, 99, 100. Ready or Not, here I come!