Inherent Vince’s review published on Letterboxd:
Ready or Not
Where the hell did this movie even come from? Talk about a summer ending genre cult classic in the making. It reminds me a lot of genre features of the past decade. The one's that've subverted expectations and thrown us assaulting surprises to our senses. Pictures like You're Next, Cabin in The Woods, Don't Breathe, The Belko Experiment, the Evil Dead remake. Films that seemingly drop out of the sky with not the biggest of promotional efforts and yet manage to surprise even the most ardent of horror hounds.
It's a contained plot, in no rush to go anywhere besides the walled confines of a big mansion. The use of natural lighting is key to this films success I believe. The dark lit halls and narrow corridors gave me the feeling I was in this home, either being chased by the psychotic family, or hunting the unfortunate bride. Samara Weaving? Who the hell is she? Prepare to find out. For a genre piece, she gives an incredibly nuanced, and physical performance. Funny one moment, devastatingly surviving the next.
*** SPOILERS ***
Let's talk about the ending. Just when you think the film takes the course of a somewhat realistic survival horror film, Guy Busick and Ryan Murphy actually deliver what's being alluded to throughout the entirety of the film. Brilliant move on their part. You're almost led to believe they could've avoided some batshit insane ritual, until they start exploding in what has to be the goriest moment of the year perhaps?
*** END SPOILERS ***
All in All, my score might go higher with a second viewing, but for now 2019 has granted us yet another fantastic entry in the horror genre this year in a banner year that's chock full of them.
B+
