Ready Or Not Is A Hilariously Terrifying Wedding Afterparty You Won’t Want To Miss
Marrying into a new family can be stressful enough . . . without said new family insisting that the bride play a twisted version of hide and seek that may prove fatal if she’s caught. Such is the case in the horror comedy Hide and Seek, as Samara Weaving plays Grace, a young woman who has just married into the Le Domas board game dominion (as the family prefers to be called), only to discover that one of their traditions involves fully initiating new members of the family by having them play a game randomly selected for them. But if someone is unlucky enough to have “Hide and Seek” selected for them, they’ll have to do everything they can not to be found, or be offered up as a ritual sacrifice. In-laws, right?
So much of what makes Hide and Seek work is how efficiently it tells its story. After a brief scene of a previous groom being hunted through the family’s massive estate, we fast forward 30 years to present day, as Grace and her husband-to-be Alex are casually sharing a cigarette looking out as guests are starting to arrive for their wedding. The playful dialogue and disregard for the idea of not seeing each other before the wedding is a great way of establishing them as characters, in contrast to the events that are about to unfold. As Grace meets more of Alex’s family, we’re treated to your standard “wealthy family” character tropes; Tony, tradition-bound father, Becky, the seemingly laid back and reassuring mother, Emilie, the cheerful drug addict, Daniel, the sarcastic brother, and Aunt Helene, the family shrew.
There’s a familiarity to how these characters are initially portrayed that is ultimately subverted once the game of hide and seek commences, and it is glorious to watch play out. Their homicidal tendencies can certainly be examined as symptomatic of apathy as it relates to their affluence and status, but instead, Ready or Not manages to work surprisingly well as a commentary on the prospect of family traditions losing their value and importance. There is genuine conflict, and surprisingly relatable family drama between Alex and other members of his family that is playing out, as Grace eventually discovers their nefarious intentions, and must fight for her life.
As a character, Grace is brilliantly played by Samara Weaving, who is fast becoming the go-to girl for humor-tinged horror films, what with Mayhem and The Babysitter already under her belt. With Ready or Not, her performance is bubbly without being ditzy, and snarky without being insufferable. You buy her as a character insecure about not coming from money, but not so insecure that she’ll allow herself to be visibly intimidated by Alex’s family. As the film progresses, we see her become more resourceful, making as many smart decisions as she can to avoid detection and capture. She sells the fear of someone being hunted, but she quickly realizes that she needs to rely on herself to make it out alive. At times, Ready or Not can feel a lot like Die Hard, as Grace sustains more than her fair share of gruesome injuries, as she struggles to escape.
It also helps that Ready or Not boast a massively entertaining supporting cast that includes Mark O’Brien, Adam Brody, Andie McDowell, Henry Czerny, and Melanie Scorfano, just to name a few. There’s more than enough witty dialogue between their characters that you instantly buy them as all being members of the same family. Adam Brody in particular, as Alex’s brother Daniel is easily one of the standout, albeit understated, performances in the film. Begrudgingly participating in the hunt with his family, there is an ambiguity to his character that injects the film some much-needed drama.
Several comedic moments meanwhile, come courtesy of Melanie Scorfano as Emelie, whose drug-fueled panic attacks as she repeatedly fails to catch Grace are perfect for breaking the tension in any given scene. Orphan Black star Kristian Bruun is equally hilarious as her woefully inept husband Fitch, who spends most of the film trying to figure out how to use the crossbow he’s been given as a weapon to hunt Grace. Ready or Not also features a stellar performance from character actor Henry Czerny, as the Le Domas patriarch, Tony, hilariously struggling to keep everyone on task.
Given the premise, Ready or Not is appropriately bloody, and thankfully understands how to use the violence and gore in a way that strengthens the story, while also being used effectively for comedic purposes. A number of kills are played for laughs, but there is still that visceral quality to other deaths and random acts of violence that zero in on the film’s awareness of how grave the situation is. Grace is ultimately hardened by this ordeal in a way that never feels gratuitous or exploitative, and that can be a difficult feat for several films in the horror/slasher genre. The image of her in her torn wedding dress and Chuck Taylor sneakers, brandishing an antique hunting rifle, with a bandolier of shells slung across her chest is now forever etched in my brain.
In short, Ready or Not is an unexpected treat to close out a summer movie season that I’ve found to be painfully average for the most part. It’s a film that manages to take the best parts of movies like Clue and You’re Next, and create something aesthetically bold and captivating, without ever feeling derivative of said films. Samara Weaving leads one of the best ensemble casts I’ve seen in a film in the past few months, brimming with chemistry, and serving up genuine laughs, all while trying to kill each other. Real weddings are rarely this much fun.
(4.5 out of 5)
