READY OR NOT Puts a Sinister Twist on ‘Hide & Seek’

“Until death do us part” holds a completely new meaning for a bride, as her in-laws begin hunting her on her wedding night. Starring Samara Weaving, this 2019 horror comedy is a completely unexpected gem that puts a real sinister twist on a childhood game. Full of witty humor and tense drama, thanks to its well-balanced script, Ready or Not is surely set for cult status.

It’s supposed to be the best day of their lives for Grace (Weaving) and her soon-to-be-husband Alex (Mark O’Brien). The two come from starkly different backgrounds; with Grace having grown up in foster care and Alex part of the Le Domas Family Games dynasty. But they seem like a perfect match.

Despite having been estranged from his family, Alex, with encouragement from Grace, is working to mend things in some way, especially with his brother Daniel (Adam Brody). The couple marry at the palatial family estate, which is beyond anything Grace could have imagined. While some of the family members are a bit… odd, Grace is so happy to finally have a family and begin a new life with her husband.

After the ceremony, Grace and the rest of the Le Domas’s sit around a table where she is told she must play a game as part of a tradition. When she chooses a card at random, she laughs as she reads “Hide and Seek”, thinking they can’t be serious about playing. The family insists, as Alex seems disappointed by the choice. As Grace playfully hides, she quickly discovers that this isn’t an innocent children’s game and instead a means for the family to hunt her.

With a ridiculously wild premise, Ready or Not does not disappoint in its promise for a bloody good time. I’m honestly bummed that I didn’t experience this film when it came out last summer. It is the perfect film to see in a packed theater, if only to hear the full audience reactions at some of the more wild moments. It’s one of those films that is just so much fun to watch, providing necessary scares and shock, without overdoing it.

There is a lot of blood, so I don’t recommend it for the squeamish, but it’s also a great option for someone who doesn’t really like scary movies; as this film offers a lot of laughs as well. The amount of humor provides a perfect balance with the horror, especially against some of the more brutal kills. It’s a great blend of genres, while not going too far outside of its core stylistic category.

This film is also one that has sold me on Weaving being this generations best “Final Girl” and someone I want to see in many horror films to come. I was a big fan of her in Netflix’s The Babysitter but this film places her in a much different type of role – and one we’re rooting for. She’s such a well-written, realistic protagonist and a badass one at that. The audience just can’t help but fall in love with her throughout her evolution in the film.

When the trailer originally dropped, it was mercilessly compared to some other female-led slasher films, of a slightly similar plot, however this film is completely its own thing. It flips a lot of horror tropes and has immense fun with the genre. I undoubtedly expect this to be a cult classic and it’s certainly a must-see.