Fully satisfying and well-balanced comedy horror that pokes acidic jabs at classism whilst delivering nasty delights.

Following Newly Wed Samantha Weaving, a plucky girl smitten with her new husband, the young heir to a wealthy, multi-generational board game tycoon. She finds her wedding night interrupted by a family tradition that requires a game. However when the game chosen is a sinister game of hide and seek, the truth behind the family’s success comes to light, and perhaps be the end of her.

I think the glory behind Ready or Not really lies within it’s simplicity in set up, as much as it occasionally strains to keep the action running, writers Guy Busick and Christopher Murphey ensures that the premise is opened up to it’s terrific cast of characters. Finding the real life flow of the film is the embittered conflicts of close family members and the shallow might of the greed of those who have been welcomed within the family. It’s where the film finds the majority of it’s comedy, whilst allowing the threat to be high and often unpredictable.

And the charm of the film is that it manages to be both successful at comedy and horror in equal measures. Often times the balance is misplaced one way or another thanks to tonal struggles. Horror comedies often come across juvenile and aimless, often premises with silly set ups vs generic monster. Ready or Not plays it’s comedy closer to it’s chest and more dry, which means the horror is free to be nastier and more satisfying and thrilling without scratching the tone of the film. It’s perfectly balanced by directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who bring real ghastly, skin crawling gore to proceedings making the tension far more tangible.

Even when the film reaches it’s riotous climax, it’s a pitch perfect punchline to a great satisfying experience.