READY OR NOT: There Is No Hiding The Horrific Fun

Horror has found a sweet spot in recent years. Whether it be the stand out films of Get Out, It, and The Witch, or B-movie hits like Happy Death Day, Sharknado and Escape Room, there is something for every horror fan to love. The genre of late is frisky, humorous, creative and discovering horror goes beyond the typical slice and dice many fans have become accustomed to. With Ready or Not, the genre once again has a surprise success on its hands.

While it does not terrify, it most certainly entertains. Predictable to a fault, Ready or Not is still engaging, edge-of-your seat entertainment that brings just enough gore coupled with humor. It is a film that seems to strive for good old horror fun, and at times, to just make fun of itself. Honestly, I was surprised how much I thoroughly enjoyed the film, and if audiences enter with expectations at bay, I’m sure they will find the same enjoyment.

You Think Your In-laws Suck

Weddings, the most joyous of occasions, packed with stress of planning, the future – and your in-laws. As Grace (Samara Weaving) prepares to wed Alex Le Domas (Mark O’Brien), everything seems immediately wrong. Grandma seems less than pleased at her joining the family, her future husband is already offering her an out and it is instantly apparent to viewers that Grace is alone – literally. One of the first foreboding moments in the film is not what is shown to the audience, but what is left out. On the happiest day of her life, she is accompanied by no family or friends. Adopted as a young child, the absence of family comes with an explanation, but the absence of friends she may have made along the way definitely sounds the alarms.

While Grace may be marrying Alex, she too is marrying his family – and everything that comes with it. As she is ready to close out the evening with a moment of intimacy, Alex informs her that the Le Domas, a gaming dynasty, have a family tradition on the night one of their own weds. The new couple is expected to play a game. Commencing at midnight, one game is chosen at random, and all they have to do is play. Chess, Checkers – Grace is ready for anything as long as it brings the Le Domas family closer to accepting her.

Up to this point, the pace initially set at the beginning Ready or Not would be my only complaint. It does tend to drag just a bit, pieces of valid information and audience hand holding running rampant. I wish the film had picked up the pace just a bit, but with so many players, the time was needed to introduce them all. Might there have been to many characters? Maybe, but as the film slowly unveils the game and the intricacies behind it, the pay off is well worth it.

Deadly Games

When Grace pulls the card indicating the game they will be playing that night, the fun light atmosphere is immediately immersed within a cloud of tension, anxiety and fear. Lingering just out of sight in the sidelines, the pace of the film drastically picks up – and it does not slow down. Audiences are given little time to breath between each scene (much like Grace) and it never loses steam. While the dialogue and acting fit the B-movie grade, the action and structure was brilliantly crafted. This is not a film that will get you with speech, but rather with action. That is when humor is not being intertwined within the film.

While the film is predictable, it still retains surprises throughout – especially by the film’s conclusion. The last few minutes of Ready or Not is a beautiful construction of confusion and surprise – and not just for audiences. There are a few scenes within the film that I can not get out of my mind and this is one of them. Sadly, to discuss any of these would spoil the film and the experience.

Honestly, I feel as though I have hit the lottery in the horror genre as of late. First Villains kept me at the edge of my seat with laughter and anxiety, a formula that proves to be wildly entertaining. Now, Ready or Not shows they too can bring the formula to light in their own way, applying it to deadly childish games. Though it is not just the similarity in style with regards to the horror genre that stands out between these two films, it is also the fact both are brought to life by co-directors.

With the success of these films utilizing both the horror and comedy within the genre, it lends itself to acknowledge that a continued success for the genre may be within a shared responsibility, the eyes of two crafting and pushing forward, rather than restricting to the vision and ingenuity of one. Like Villains, directors Matt Bettinelli-Oplin and Tyler Gillett craft a film that viewers will want to return to and enjoy over and over again. For me personally, this is one that will be joining my list of must see Halloween films each year.

Ready or Not, Women in Horror are Changing

I feel I need to preface this by saying, there is still a long way to go with regards to the portrayal of women in the horror genre. But every inch forward is a nod well deserved. If you look at the film briefly, you will see the common horror tropes literally running around on screen in Ready or Not. The female lead making questionable decisions, her outfit primed to break away piece by piece and a potential White Knight to swoop in at the very last moment to save her. At a quick glance, there is nothing new here to acknowledge. While there are common tropes screaming out to viewers, not all are launched into action.

While there really wasn’t very much character development with Grace, other than a brief backstory of being an orphan and always having the desire for a family, there was a deeply rooted strength that takes little time to ignite. She is a fighter. Grace was ready to fight from the moment she discovered the true nature off the game. Yes, there is a brief shock as the truth settles in (who wouldn’t experience that?), but her fear is switched off in a sense, pushed to the side as survival becomes the primary focus. And does she ever try to survive. She does not run upstairs, she does not corner herself. She fights and pushes forward.

Another nod to the our female lead was her wardrobe. Presented to audiences in a pristine lacy attire (the very embodiment of the “Woman in White” trope), her dress lended itself to potentially be torn to pieces. While the temptation is there, it doesn’t happens. Everything fits to the story and the incidents she is forced to face. Her dress instead changes from a potential sexualization of Grace to a metaphorical representation of a change within the film and its characters. This change is open to interpretation – that interpretation possibly lending itself to a potential sequel.

Conclusion

Ready or Not was a fun concept to see brought to life and I can not wait to return. While not outstanding in either the dialogue or acting departments, the film as a hold is an entertaining experience fans of the horror genre are sure to enjoy.

Have you seen Ready or Not? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below!

Ready or Not was released in the theaters in the US on August 21, 2019 and in the UK on September 27, 2019. For all international release dates, see here.