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I was lucky enough to be one of the first to read Scott Smith's second novel THE RUINS before it hit the mainstream. He's only written two novels both of which have been made into feature films. I loved THE RUINS when I consumed it a year or so ago and now that I have seen the film I love it even more.
SPOILERS AHEAD SO PROCEED WITH CAUTION.
I promise to keep the spoilers limited and I won't ruin the film for you.
This film worked for me. It is basically a killer plant film. Not a lot of those. Actually they point it out in the special features that this films only other precident is LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. Interesting.
You don't actually know what the enemy is in this film for quite a while. As the film opens we meet up a a duo of couples on a holiday in Mexico. They have a few days left till their flight out and during a chance meeting with a German fellow also on vacation they wind up being invited to along on an excursion to some RUINS 20 or so miles away. It seems that the Germans brother trekked in a few days ago and hasn't returned and he is going to go in and find him. Their plane leaves the next day and he's thinking he's having a little to much fun and has lost track of the time.
Our couples think about it for a second and decide what the hell, how often are they going to get a chance to visit some secluded ruins.
And so we begin. Now as genre fans we know never, ever, ever head off to to deserted ruins in an exotic country. Obviously our vacationers are not horror fans.
Off they go into the Mexican wilderness. They take a taxi till the road ends and then have to hike it in from there. Soon enough they stand at the base of an impressive Mayan looking structure covered with some pretty flowering ivy looking stuff. They no sooner arrive and in ride some locals speaking some language that none of our team understands but they have guns, bows and are hell bent on not letting our group head back the way they came. Through a series of violent events they find themselves chased to the top of the ruins and the fun really beings.
I was really surprised at how violent and bloody this film was. I was not expecting it. The practical effects are gruesomely realistic and disturbing. Not a lot of CGI this time around and what little there is is done well and only used when needed and when it enhances the story. Fans of good old practical effects owe it to themselves to pop this one into their player and enjoy.
The DVD is being plugged as UNRATED. I didn't see it in the theater so I can't tell you how much if any extra blood is on the disc but I can tell you the blood flows freely once it starts and I was riveted to the screen.
The disc comes with the usual assortment of special features. A commentary track which I have not yet taken the time to listen to and a host of behind the scenes docu's that chronicle the making of the film. The most impressive and by far the "must see" part of the disc is the chapter titled CREEPING DEATH which goes very in depth into how the practical effects were performed.
I found THE RUINS to be a harrowing, thrilling, surprising bloody piece of work that I would highly reccomend for some good old fashioned matinΓ©e fun. Well acted, directed and great effects. Not sure what else you could ask for.
THE RUINS hits shelves on July 8th. A great way to start the month.
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