We all know the classic game of ‘Hide and Seek’, where one hides and the others seek, but Ready or Not has managed to turn a fun childhood game into a terrifying game of ‘kill or be killed’.
The film follows the story of Grace (Australian actress, Samara Weaving), a young bride who marries her partner Alex Le Domas (Mark O’Brien) and becomes a part of his rich and classy family. Before even being able to have some alone time after the wedding, Alex invites Grace downstairs for a La Domas family tradition, which welcomes new members into the family.
Grace makes her way downstairs in the Le Domas family mansion and enters a room where she’s greeted by Alex’s family members, congratulating the couple on their marriage while they wait around for the clock to strike midnight. Grace is escorted into a private room where Alex’s father Tony Le Domas (Henry Czerny) explains the tradition, where new family members must select a card at random from a small wooden box that has been passed down in the family. Once making a card selection, the card will reveal the game that must be played amongst the household.
Anxiety and fear take over Alex as he watches Grace reveal the Hide and Seek card that he was hoping wouldn’t appear. But without giving Grace any warning for what’s about to happen, Grace is pushed along to hide anywhere she likes as long as it’s within the mansion walls. Grace roams the mansion, looking for the perfect spot to hide and laughs to herself at the idea of having to play a kids game on her wedding night. However, laughter soon turns to tears and screams as Grace learns quickly that the rules are different from the game she knows, and that this is more than just a game.
I’ll start off saying that it’s amazing seeing Aussie girl, Samara Weaving play the lead role of this film. Samara totally killed this performance (literally). I honestly feel this girl is going on to bigger and better places, from initially starting her career off in Aussie soap series Home & Away to later starring in a Netflix original movie The Babysitter, and now to this big screen film, Ready or Not. Samara may be the niece of Hugo Weaving and looking like a doppelgänger to fellow Aussie, Margot Robbie, but it seems like she’s building a huge career for herself, and I can’t wait to see what future TV series and movies she becomes a part of.
In Ready or Not, Samara Weaving was completely convincing as potty-mouthed but still innocent and pure, Grace. You really wanted to her to win the game, but at the same time couldn’t help but be curious to see how everything panned out. And while the rest of the cast were all amazing in their own right with their ‘family’ dynamic, it is Samara Weaving that is the true star of the film. The special effects and plot were pretty solid and great too.
Ready or Not shows how diverse horror films can be and is an enjoyable film for fans of horror, and horror mixed with a bit of black comedy. There are some brutal scenes that will make you cringe, some hilarity, and there’s plenty of blood to boot. But it’s truly a fantastic film.
Ready or Not is cinemas across Australia from tomorrow (October 24).