Movie Review: Ready or Not (2019)

Synopsis: Grace, a former foster child, has always wanted a family and believes she finally has that chance when she marries the wealthy Alex Le Domas. When, on her wedding night, she is invited to participate in the family's tradition of playing a random game with a new member, she thinks it is quirky but is also eager to be accepted. However, when she draws Hide-and-Seek, she quickly learns losing could have deadly consequences.

Who's in it? The movie stars Samara Weaving, Adam Brody, Mark O'Brien, Andie MacDowell and Nicky Guadagni.


Review: I saw a preview for this some time ago but, even though I thought the trailer looked interesting, pretty much forgot about the movie until I found the DVD on Netflix. I added it to my queue and my wife and I watched it last night. It turned out to be an entertaining movie.

There were a couple things I found I really liked about this film. One of the first ones was the way the movie managed to be suspenseful but also mixed in just enough comedy to keep the movie from getting too dark. My wife and I especially got a kick out of some of the unintentional deaths, usually at the hands of the drug-addicted sister (Melanie Scrofano).

I also found I liked the way Grace (Weaving) reacts to the situation, starting out completely hysterical then gradually accepting the situation and taking charge. This made the film a lot less predictable because, at least early on, it did make her dependent on someone coming to her rescue and it wasn't clear who would be willing to do that, especially since the family believed her surviving until dawn would result in their deaths. This included her new husband (O'Brien), considering he chose not to warn her about the family's tradition in advance.

The fact she spent a good chunk of the movie scared to the point she wasn't completely rational also made it easier to overlook some of her mistakes, such as running back into the house when she temporarily gained the upperhand and was standing next to an unlocked kitchen door.

Another thing I found intriguing was the mystery surrounding the family's backstory. Were they really cursed? Or were they just insane? The film does a good job of keeping the answer a secret until the very end.

I think my only real complaint about this movie is I'm still a bit confused about the random game thing. What would have happened had she gotten Old Maid (which was an option)? Would just playing be good enough or would she still need to win to survive? I feel like the film could have explained that a little better but I guess it is a moot point regardless.

Final Opinion: The movie has a pretty basic/simple concept but does a great job with it. I enjoyed every minute of it.

My Grade: A

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