Rafael "Parker!!" Jovine’s review published on Letterboxd:
When it comes to a horror movie, a film has to do at least one thing for me. Either has to engage me with a compelling story or premise that gets executed in an effective way (HINT: IT, Dead Silence, Saw) or it has to twist my stomache (Alas Hostel, Martyrs) - see I didn't mention scare me, because I am from the school that believes those movies with the intention of scarying (not that sometimes horror movies can't do this), fit more in the category of Terror as parting from the semantics, when you are scared a synonym would be "terrified," whereas when you are disgusted or traumatized another word would be "horrofied."
Parting from this idea, The Ruins (not to be confused with Turistas) its a fascinating movie in both levels. The way how it matures from being another dumb tourist trap gore movie in the same vein as many of those that made a huge splash like Hostel or A Perfect Gataway along with those more in the line as The Descent or The Cave and it takes all the tropes, and just a few minutes later starts to subvert your expectations as switches from genre to genre. You think you know who the villains are, until you don't. You think you know where its going, til you kinda don't. Add to that the fact the way how gore and horror gets introduced concluding with the knife/Stacy scene.
In terms of performances, you can't really expect some Oscar material in here, but for what it was, they were really good. Having seen Tucker in Parenthood recently I couldn't stop thinking how Monica Potter's Kristina should have been laughing her arse off. Jenna Malone's Amy was insufferable and I was waiting for her to die. Ramsey's Stacy arc was a tragedy yet so greatly performed. Shawn and Joe were good, though they were given as much to do.
All in all, armed with some great direction, a script that walks the thin line between a thriller and a horror movie, awesome setting and some particularly great cinematography - this is a movie that deserves to be seen. I'll personally add it to the October marathon lists.
TODAY SCHEDULE
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Kaili Blues
The Ruins
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