It’s notable that a number of the better films to come out this year have been square in the horror genre, if not slightly adjacent: “Us,” “Crawl,” “Midsommar,” “Parasite” and now, “Ready or Not,” just two weeks before the hotly anticipated “It: Chapter 2.” It probably speaks to the terrible state of the world that this is the case. Horror is a good prism to release some of that tension. It’s no surprise that a number of these films are also quite funny, as they lend themselves to social satire.
This is also the case with “Ready or Not,” which stars Samara Weaving as Grace, a bride whose wedding night takes a warped, lethal turn into the stuff of nightmares. Mark O’Brien plays her hubby Alex, of the wealthy Le Domas family, who made their fortune in games and amusements. Included here are Henry Czerny (HBO’s “Sharp Objects”) and Andie MacDowell as the parental units, with the much-missed Adam Brody as older brother Daniel. At the evening of her wedding, Grace finds out that the family has a bizarre ritual anytime anyone is added to the family via marriage, and if luck isn’t with you, you’re going to have to play a game of literal survival by hiding somewhere in the family mansion until dawn.
“Ready or Not” is a compact, dense film. The entire thing takes place over roughly 18 hours. The film itself is only 94 minutes. There are no flashbacks setting up backstory; character is expressed only through action and dialogue. It holds the audience in a vice-like grip once the danger starts and doesn’t let go, allowing for the occasional burst of surprising comedy as a pressure valve.
It exists in the intersection of some great company: Jordan Peele’s “Get Out,” Coralie Fargeat’s “Revenge,” and Adam Wingard’s “You’re Next.” But remains its own thing, with a pointed subtextual commentary on class and wealth and what must be done to keep it. Family dynamics are at play, plus how much you can trust your partner, and just the sheer will to survive. A nail on a plank plays a role similar to its sister scene in last year’s “A Quiet Place,” though for my money this beats it.
The film really starts leaning toward comedy in the latter half, when things ratchet up to an absurd degree. There’s a child that Grace has to face, a pit to escape, and a scene with a gate that had people screaming. And gratefully, the ending outdoes itself. It’s a genuine surprise, and a welcome one, and a great vehicle for Weaving (as “Revenge” was for Matilda Lutz).