The Ruins (2008)

Director:

Carter Smith

Writers (WGA):

Scott B. Smith (screenplay)
Scott B. Smith (novel)

Release Date:

4 April 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Terror has evolved.

Plot:

A group of friends whose leisurely Mexican holiday takes a turn for the worse when they, along with a fellow tourist embark on a remote archaeological dig in the jungle, where something evil lives among the ruins. |

Plot Keywords:

Self Mutilation | Shower | Severed Leg | Murder | Male Nudity

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Jonathan Tucker	...	Jeff McIntire
Jena Malone	...	Amy
Laura Ramsey	...	Stacy
Shawn Ashmore	...	Eric
Joe Anderson	...	Mathias
Sergio Calderón	...	Lead Mayan
Balder Moreno	...	Mayan Horseman
Dimitri Baveas	...	Dimitri
Patricio Almeida Rodriguez	...	Taxi Driver
Mario Jurado	...	Mayan Archer
Luis Antonio Ramos	...	Mayan Rifleman #1 (as Luis Ramos)
Walter Quispe	...	Mayan Rifleman #2
Pauline Whyman	...	Wailing Woman
Nathan Vega	...	Mayan Boy
Tanisha Marquez-Munduate	...	Mayan Girl

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence and gruesome images, language, some sexuality and nudity.

Runtime:

USA:91 min

Country:

Australia | USA

Language:

English | Maya | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | SDDS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:14A (Manitoba/Ontario) | Ireland:16 | Australia:MA | Netherlands:16 | UK:18 | Sweden:15 | Singapore:M18 (cut) | South Africa:16LV | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Finland:K-13 | USA:R (certificate #44170)

Filming Locations:

Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Company:

BenderSpink

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The rope for the descent into the ruins changes lengths.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Archeologist #2: Help me!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Ashton Kutcher/Gnarls Barkley (#33.10)" (2008)

Book Fans Will Be Pleased; Horror Fans will Be Thrilled

For some reason I can't see that people who have not read the novel by Scott Smith will enjoy this adaptation as much as those who have not, but nonetheless all will find this horror thriller extremely satisfying, especially gore lovers.

Amy, Jeff, Stacy and Eric (Jena Malone, Jonathan Tucker, Laura Ramsey, and Shawn Ashmore) are on vacation in Mexico, relaxing and drinking by the beach and poolside before they all go their separate ways to college. When they meet a German named Mathias who needs to visit a site of ancient ruins in the jungle to find his missing brother, the vacationers, although reluctant, decide to tag along and have some fun on their last day. Boy did they have the wrong idea.

Soon after they find the foreboding hidden path deep in the jungle, they stumble upon an abandoned archaeological dig amidst an ancient pyramid covered in vegetation. The local Mayans show up and after they shoot one of the other tagalongs and force the group up the trail, keeping guard around the pyramid, it becomes clear that the vacationers are being held hostage. Fear, hunger, and insanity begin to set in as over a three day period the group's mentalities begin to diminish. One by one, they fall prey to the evil vines that reside on the ancient ruins and it slowly becomes clear that they're probably not going to make it out of Mexico alive. Does this sound stupid? Sure. Killer vines, that's laughable. But during their stay you slowly begin to realize this isn't funny at all. It's hardcore chilling, and the vines are nothing to laugh at. They're used to a terrifying effect, especially in a chilling scene when Amy and Stacey descend into the pyramid and the vines try to kill them.

As far as quality, the acting is top notch, especially from Jena Malone and Laura Ramsey. Ramsey's Stacy suffers the worst physical harm and her performance is the best as she clearly goes insane when some nasty vines nestle in under her skin. All of the actors are exceptional and the audience will feel very attached. It's especially hard to watch when they start dying. These are real people in a horrifying situation. This isn't a mild horror film, it pulls no punches. It's straightforward, and although it is about killer flowers, it's as good as a horror movie can get, and the tension that director Carter Smith builds through the great pacing is unbearable. Kudos also goes to Jena Malone, who has broken free of her childhood performances and is getting into much more mature work. She is promising here.

I won't spoil the outcome of the character's fates but I will say for fans of the novel that the story is twisted around somewhat. Scott Smith adapted this from his book. The same events basically happen, but he's switched up his characters and the end starts to stray further and further from his novel. That's not to say that it doesn't work, for I think that it makes the experience better, you can go in expecting some new scares even if you've read the harrowing novel. I was supremely pleased at this take on the horrifying story and I was surprised to find myself shaken when it was over, particularly during the grueling scene when Stacy cuts into herself repeatedly with a hunting knife to pull out vines. This is one of the most unsettling scenes depicted in a horror film recently. You won't forget "The Ruins" and it's one of the best horror movies in a long time.