Ready or Not

In 'Ready or Not', directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, Samara Weaving stars as Grace Lewis, a bright and cheerful young bride on the eve of her wedding to Alex Le Domas, played by Adam Brody. The two seem to have it all - a loving relationship, family wealth, and the promise of a future filled with happiness and luxury. However, their union leads to a confrontation with Alex's eccentric and disturbed family, exacerbating a sinister tradition that threatens to haunt Grace's every waking moment. On the night of the wedding, as Grace is expected to undress before bed and retrieve a family heirloom - a gold music box adorned with a vintage photograph of a grandfather and his son - her in-laws suggest a family game: hide and seek with a violent twist. The game, necessitating murder and disposing of the bodies, is a gruesome tradition initially revealed in a chilling explanation from the Le Domas family's eldest son, Chris Le Domas, played by Samara Weaving's real-life co-star, Mark O'Brien. Chris explains that when a successor to the family fortune marries, they must participate in this annual tradition, killing as many family members as possible before dawn, with the hope of being granted entry into the family's massive, inherited properties. Chaos erupts as Grace unwittingly crosses the threshold of this dark initiation ritual. Now forced to play along and assume a more fatalistic responsibility, Grace finds herself on a perilous race against the clock alongside other family members. An onslaught of panicked phone calls and terrifying night chases, punctuated by spurts of dark humor and wicked taunts of mocking curiosity, reveals the extent of the twisted dynamics between the Le Domas clan members and highlights Gracie's worsening predicament. Additionally, intense conversations surface regarding the historical context that forged these in-laws into cold-blooded and macabre avengers. As conversation surfaces about their backgrounds and circumstances surrounding their involvement in the perverted, historically rooted tradition, each member is exposed in subtle shades of blood-soaked complexity. With multiple doors open to several available alliances, the player unravels the tragic character traits of her in-laws. Each twisted decision triggers new discoveries - that the Le Domas's dreadful, often cunning bloodlust stems from long-perpetuated guilt and as a legacy originating from centuries-old empires. This, paired with 'unpredictability' due to every single killing in search for safety culminates; hence the in-laws begin to see Grace's naivety as a threat. The unyielding dynamic keeps spiraling through devastating challenges, propelling each character into despair as they come face-to-face with an endless, unending cycle of death and suspense. Character's desperate desperation and despair is pushed over the edge as she grapples desperately for a glimmer of hope. While the tension rises sharply, a recurring discussion surrounding legacy seems fitting for a motion picture focusing the theme of being prepared to assume frightening challenge as well as some hints of hope arise when the whole plot, one after an other, seems futile but, only then does the film reach a tipping point, one filled with determination that encourages the viewer to join in sympathizing with its ill-prepared, desperate but beautifully unpretentious protagonist, as they keep moving forward despite impending doom. In conclusion, 'Ready or Not' showcases a masterful, gripping effort, diving into twisted, inescapable aspects that weave together a blood-soaked legacy with a sense of ominous dismay for those caught unwittingly in an adventure that just turns into grueling horrors that the viewer, due to their innocent sympathy towards the main character, is ultimately not prepared and yet cannot but be desperate to know.