Ready or Not (2019) is directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett, featuring a screenplay by Guy Busick & R. Christopher Murphy. It stars Samara Weaving, Mark O’Brien, Adam Brody, Henry Czerny, Andie McDowell, Melanie Scrofano, Kristian Bruun, Elyse Levesque, Nicky Guadagni, John Ralston, Liam MacDonald, Ethan Tavares, Hanneke Talbot, Celine Tsai, Daniela Barbosa, and Andrew Anthony. The film follows Grace (Weaving), a bride whose wedding night takes a turn when her new in-laws force her to participate in a seemingly recreational family game, as tradition dictates. To choose the game, Grace randomly picks a card that ends up being Hide & Seek. Unfortunately, it quickly becomes clear that this is no ordinary children’s game once the family reveals they are Satanists who have to hunt & kill Grace before sunrise or face a bloody demise.

As Grace, Samara Weaving absolutely owns the film, quickly earning her title as a kind of modern-day scream queen. Her ability to convey terror and aggression is uncommonly raw. That said, she’s equally convincing when asked to act more grounded/emotionally subdued. She displays a lot of range and is also effortlessly likable in a way that makes you wonder why she hasn’t led more big-name projects. Not to mention, she’s perfectly capable when executing the film’s many violent physical confrontations. It’s a rare, well-rounded lead performance that elevates this film above its genre peers.

As for the fantastic ensemble supporting cast, Adam Brody is the standout, but no one is a disappointment. Grace’s in-laws are portrayed as entitled, inexperienced, and overconfident trust-fund babies who are often more funny than intimidating. This helps achieve the film’s goal of delivering fantastic dark humor and also sells the idea that a seemingly average woman like Grace could successfully defend herself against such a large group. This sharp blend of horror and humor constantly keeps the viewer guessing–when you think things are about to take a dark turn, the script delivers an unexpected comedic punchline, and vice versa. It also helps that the script doesn’t feel the need to space out its deaths/kills. This could’ve easily been frustrating for genre fans, but because the cast of characters is so much fun, it actually feels like a smart choice to keep them around as long as possible (don’t worry, more bloodthirsty fans will still leave satisfied). 

The film’s cat-and-mouse survival angle isn’t particularly new, but it never feels stale thanks to the consistently engaging directing style of Bettinelli-Olpin & Gillett. It’s clear that their main goal is to inject every scene with something unpredictable and/or fun, and for the most part, they succeed. The various character interactions fall short of what the directors would eventually deliver with Abigail (2024), but they come pretty close. Their film’s most impressive feat, however, is the execution of its ending. It perfectly blends its two opposing tones, turning both up to eleven in a wild cascade of blood and laughs. It’ll either leave you screaming with joy, with an agape jaw, or shaking your head at how over-the-top it all is. That said, no matter how you feel about the experience, it’s guaranteed to elicit a passionate reaction.

Overall, Ready or Not isn’t perfect and won’t appeal to everyone, but it easily earns its reputation as a modern-day cult classic. It blends humor and drama better than most dark comedies, is relentlessly paced, and still offers the perfect number of slower moments that let everything breathe. Whenever you begin to get sick of humor, the horror elements pick up the slack, and vice versa. If you like horror thrillers that lean more towards fun than bleak, you’ll most likely have a good time. If the morbid nature of the story keeps you from seeing the humor, I’d like to remind you that none of it is real. You’re not laughing at death, you’re laughing at actors pretending to die– go touch some grass. B