THE RUINS

By Michael J Edwards / July 1, 2011

Carter Smith Written by: Scott B. SmithBased on the novel by Scott B. Smith Starring: Jonathan Tucker, Jena Malone, Laura Ramsey, Shawn Ashmore, Joe Anderson, Sergio Calderon,Dimitri Baveas Distributed by Paramount Film is released in the U.K. on June 20th 2008 Review by Micheal Edwards

rating: 1.5

A lot of Hollywood horrors make us yearn for difference, a break from the norm, something that seems refreshing, new and exciting. This is particularly true of the horror genre where a lot of the tried and tested methods of making us wet our pants have become so tired and cliched that we're more likely to die of boredom than of fright. That said there are occasionally those 'trailblazers' that, like an alcoholic traveller, appear to be going a bit off the beaten track in search of something new but ultimately end up just getting lost and lying in a ditch somewhere wishing they were at home. This is the case with THE RUINS. The basic premise is a bunch of attractive young Americans are on holiday in Mexico (standard stuff so far), and they meet some intriguing foreigners who suggest an expedition to some unexplored ruins he's heard about (nothing new here). Once they get there things aren't exactly as they expected, and they encounter a deep and ancient evil that lurks within (sounds about right). So you may well be wondering what's new. Well the thing about THE RUINS is that nothing really happens. It's shot through a sepia filter to build atmosphere in much the same way that recent genre buddies like SHROOMS and ALL THE BOYS LOVE MANDY LANE did, and a large chunk of the build-up aims to creep you out by hinting at what this evil presence may be and the power it has to destroy its youthful visitors. Once it becomes clear what's going on the film becomes a race-against time, a battle to escape their elusive assailant(s) and get away alive. But there's no chase scenes or puzzles to solve, just a brutal fight to survive the onslaught of a unstoppable force of nature. There's no sudden scare moments where someone jumps from a shadow, and there's a very limited soundscape; there is, however, lots and lots of gore to make sure you don't get too bored! That said, none of this quite works. The filter, like the characters, is just annoying and seems completely unnatural. The gore, whilst pretty unsettling, is just a little too stupid to do its job properly and not quite stupid or fast-paced enough to be a gleeful bloodbath. What's more, the great twist on which all of this uncomfortable tension is based is just a little bit crap. SPOILER ALERT: DO NOT READ THE FOLLOWING INDENTED PARAGRAPH IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE 'EVIL LURKING IN THE RUINS' IS!

The vines covering the Mayan pyramid thing are carnivorous, and devour any creatures venturing onto them. Thus the film becomes a futile attempt to create a serious modern-day version of DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS. How lame is that? There are some cool scenes where vines grow into peoples bodies, but other than that it becomes so much effort to suspend your disbelief that the movie becomes a chore. And I can do chores at home... for free.

The cinematography looks lame, the characters and dialogue don't ring true and the central concept is a bit weak. It deserves a bit of credit for trying to break from the norm, but personally I'd advise you to avoid this attempt at a tension-rich chiller: it falls desperate short on almost every count.