“Oh, it’s you. You continue to exist.”
Ready or Not tells the story of Grace, a young woman hoping to earn the love and respect of her new husband’s family. At the stroke of midnight, on the wedding night, Grace must participate in a “family initiation” by drawing a card from the deck to see what game the family will be playing. However, if she draws the Hide and Seek card, the night turns into a bloodbath as the family must kill Grace before dawn. Ready or Not, wasn’t on my most anticipated for 2019, but this film is probably one of the most entertaining to come out this year.
If violence is your cup of tea, then Ready or Not is the movie to see. It’s an incredible premise that excels with so many entertaining sequences. Although she has only been in a few films prior to this, Samara Weaving has the whole film resting upon her shoulders, and she never waivers. I absolutely loved her performance, as she tries to fight her way to stay alive until dawn. Though I’m sure each day, for Weaving, ended with a hot cup of tea, she gives a performance that never enters the field of overdramatic, but helps add that real source of fear when one situation after another keeps Grace fighting for her life in the mansion. As for the rest of the characters, they were a bit hit and miss, with some having a less than ideal storyline. 
However, each one often adds a much needed comedic line or two throughout the film.
The art direction and décor within Ready or Not was astounding. The mansion, most importantly, was incredible in providing such an eerie place to hold a bloodbath, while still staying true to paint a family living such a lavish, and over exaggerated, lifestyle. Directors, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillet do a decent job at bringing such a narrative to the big screen. However, though Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillet’s work was good, there were some points where the directing choices could have been better. Ready or Not stumbles a bit at the end, but not so much that it ruins the whole movie. The characters’ storylines take a turn, which could have tried to embrace the unpredictability factor, but never really achieves. And in addition to that, some characters are annoying and repetitive with their comical situations. All though the character of Grace cuts through all that bull, her character can’t help but also fall victim to the confusing storylines when surrounded by such burdening characters.
But for what it’s worth, I enjoyed Ready or Not. It’s a plot that comes out of nowhere and surprises the hell out of you. Is it filmmaking perfection? No. However, Ready or Not is a claustrophobic horror film that will make you laugh, while also, have you turning away at the amount of comical gore and violence. It is a no holds barred type of film that surprised me in the most pleasant way. Ready or Not is an absolute scream!
Ready or Not
Directed by: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillet
Starring: Samara Weaving, Adam Brody, Mark O’Brien, Henry Czerny, and Andie MacDowell
Rating:
Little Movie Reviews 