Friday, April 04, 2008

Vine Intervention: “The Ruins” is a Good Enough Way to Pass an Afternoon

If you’ve seen one of them, you’ve seen them all. I’m talking about the type of movie where a bunch of young Americans who vacation in a foreign country who end up…hmmm dead? If you can get past the dreadful and clichéd opening scenes of “The Ruins” you’ll be pleased to find out that the rest of this blood fest is actually quit chilling and enjoyable. Based on the book, which is sort of Steven King lite, The Ruins is sort of like “Turistas” with a supernatural twist, except that it’s much better than you’d think. And thank god there is no exposition because when it comes to films like this, frankly I don’t give a damn.

If you’re wondering what exactly is after these twentysomethings (which include Jena Malone, Jonathan Tucker, Laura Ramsey and Shawn Ashmore) let me just tell you right up front (SPOILER) that it’s killer plants. Yes I said killer plants. And you know what? “The Ruins” is the “Gone with the Wind” of killer plant movies. Of course, “Little Shop of Horrors” remains the “Citizen Kane” of killer plant movies. These four young things, while vacationing somewhere in Mexico, decide to explore some ancient ruins with their new German friend played by Across the Universe’s Joe Anderson. Before you know it, they are being quarantined on the ruins by a modern tribe who have bows and arrows AND automatic weapons. They can either try to make a run for it, or wait it out and hope that someone comes searching for them. In the meantime, they notice the local flora isn’t exactly friendly.

Like I said if you can sort of buy into the initial lame premise then you might actually get scared every now and then. The story (penned by Scott B Smith, who based it on his novel) is non-existent and the characters are just simply there to be die disgusting deaths, but I was sort of surprised at how invested I was with what was going on. I don’t know if I just liked the actors but I almost sort of felt bad for them. When one girl gets a bad cut on her leg, she wakes up the next morning with a vine attached to the wound. And it’s not just attached; it’s like growing inside her. Her boyfriend immediately yanks it out and it’s surprisingly gruesome. There are some ghastly images here (amputation anyone?) and yet there’s no scary dude with a mask, so it’s all good.

Mock me if you want, but I found the later half of The Ruins to be an enjoyable freaky ride. It may not be the most original horror flick, but if you sick of the standard slasher movie or so called “torture porn” movies, then you might as well do yourself a favor and check out “The Ruins” if only so you can say you saw that movie with the killer vines… I can’t believe I just wrote that sentence. Oh well. GRADE: B-


11 comments:

Unknown said...

michael kors outlet
polo ralph lauren
nike store
nike trainers
supra shoes sale
lebron james shoes
nike air max 90
michael kors handbags outlet
nike free 5
michael kors handbags clearance
replica watches
michael kors handbags
ralph lauren outlet
air max 90
michael kors handbags outlet
nike huarache trainers
nike huarache
michael kors outlet online
michael kors handbags
michael kors handbags
michael kors handbags
michael kors uk
michael kors outlet
cheap jordans
nike free

Unknown said...

green bay packers jerseys
jimmy choo
pittsburgh steelers jersey
giants jersey
toms shoes
supra shoes
carolina panthers jersey
coach outlet online
arizona cardinals jerseys
cardinals jersey
20170411

Unknown said...

timberland boots
adidas yeezy
hermes belt
air jordan shoes
lacoste outlet
kobe bryant shoes
led shoes
kobe basketball shoes
tory burch outlet
cheap jordans
20170721

Unknown said...

michael kors outlet
baseball jerseys
michael kors purses
chrome hearts
michael kors outlet
adidas stan smith
adidas tubular
adidas nmd r1
basketball shoes
yeezy shoes

raybanoutlet001 said...

ralph lauren outlet
colts jerseys
prada outlet
houston texans jerseys
true religion outlet
michael kors outlet
fitflops shoes
nike shoes
ugg boots
oakley sunglasses

Unknown said...

qzz0707
tory burch outlet
supra shoes
longchamp handbags
brequet wathes
oakley sunglasses
michael kors outlet
polo ralph lauren
longchamp bags
uggs outlet
cheap jerseys

QQQQQQQQQ said...

asics kayno
kyrie shoes
pandora charms
http://www.kobebasketballshoes.us.com
kobe shoes
adidas nmd
nike air max 2018
lebron soldier 10
michael kors outlet
curry 4

5689 said...

zzzzz2018.8.23
moncler outlet
louboutin shoes
ugg boots
longchamp handbags
oakley sunglasses
true religion outlet
canada goose jackets
pandora
ralph lauren uk
cheap nba jerseys

Unknown said...

www0901pandora outlet
air jordan uk
jordan shoes
adidas outlet
christian louboutin shoes
salomon
nike requin pas cher
ugg boots
coach outlet
nike huarache



jeje said...

christian louboutin outlet
air max 90
nike air max
coach outlet
air max 90
red bottom shoes
ecco shoes
christian louboutin
christian louboutin shoes
canada goose outlet

jjjjjjjjjjjjj said...

cheap nfl jerseys china
nike shox
mbt shoes sale
ralph lauren uk
gucci belt
calvin klein underwear
michael kors outlet
fila shoes
michael kors purses
coach bags sale