Ready or Not is not a zombie movie. It’s a rare dark horror comedy that is best viewed if you’re in a bad mood. If you don’t appreciate your job or in-laws, it’s going to be more enjoyable. The story goes like this..The wealthy Le Domas family currently headed by Tony (Henry Czerny) and wife Becky (Andie MacDowell). Their offspring has long since moved out on their own. One of the sons Alex (Mark O’Brien) has returned to the estate to marry his love Grace (Samara Weaving).
The entire family has gathered for this event as Grace is just trying to fit in as a member. As a family tradition goes, the newest addition to the clan picks a card from a box of a different kind. She pulls out the one card that reveals the name of the game to be played. Since this is a horror movie/comedy you know where this is headed. It’s somewhere along the lines of the 1994 action Rutger Hauer and Ice-T flick Surviving the Game about a homeless man being hunted in the woods by a group of wealthy businessmen.
Grace was given a head start to play hide and seek while everyone else picks their lethal weapon of choice to hunt her down and play out the game. Most of this is a typical set-up and seen-before-props and conveniently placed objects for defense at her disposal one of which was a weapon just for looks and not real. That was a nice addition. Screenwriters Guy Busick and Ryan Murphy along with directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett weave this horror film sometimes into a animatedish halloween free-for-all and judging from the hole Grace falls into and meeting dead bodies from past games then (holy-Jesus) impales her hand on a nail climbing out.
Creep-a-noid Aunt Helene (Nicky Guadagni) who bears witness to the I-dos grabs your attention that quick. The Le-Domas family is not only creepy, they’re spooky with their traditions and Ready or Not, they will arrive in theaters with their magic card box until death do us part August 21st. Bring the In-Laws. 3/5
