Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Writer: Guy Busick, Ryan Murphy
Stars: Samara Weaving, Adam Brody, Mark O’Brien

Horror films are not my thing. Never have been, never will be. But dark humour-horror films? Give me all of them.

In a style that is eerily reminiscent of the 2011 cult classic Cabin in the Woods, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett have directed my favourite horror film since A Quiet Place.

Whilst Ready or Not has far more comedy in it than I anticipated going in (I think I saw one trailer and had completely forgotten it by the time I sat in my seat), more often than not the comedy hits home. The writing is genuinely funny and the acting/directing is well-timed to deliver. With that being said the comedic elements never feel like they overstay their welcome. Instead these moments serve to provide levity to what is otherwise a very thrilling and suspenseful movie, which sees main character Grace (Portrayed perfectly by Samara Weaving) attempt to survive a night-long game of Hide and Seek with her murderous in-laws.

The acting across the board is pretty great, with a rich cast of characters who are all portrayed near perfectly. Sure only a small handful of the relatively large cast of characters have any kind of development over the story. But the film is only an hour and a half long, and whilst development may, for the most part, be limited the ability for characters to stand out and for each to have a unique personality is certainly prevalent. Adam Brody plays the regretful son incredibly well, Melanie Scrofano the jittery sister and Nicky Guadagni the psychotic aunt to name but a few. However, it is Samara Weaving who is the standout of the film, with her putting in a superb performance throughout.

The gore is over the top, but in a good way. The movie doesn’t take itself seriously, and I think that if it had it would have failed. So seeing a woman with her face half blown off, and it being played for laughs, suits the movie perfectly.

The story is far from unique, and I would be shocked if the writers took no inspiration from the aforementioned Cabin in the Woods, however it is the execution of this movie that will make it stand out in the long run. Here’s to what I’m hoping will be regarded as another cult favourite in the years to come. With that being said, don’t go into this movie expecting the next A Quiet Place in terms of horror-delivery, but a sleeper hit I think it shall be nonetheless.

Final Score: 8/10 Porgs