Creeping Vine (The Ruins (DVD))

Member Name: utero

Product:	The Ruins (DVD)
Date:	06/11/08 (76 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Well paced, acted and directed

Disadvantages: Couldn't really fault it

The horror genre has taken its usual slump into the gutter recently with such films as Saw being able to churn out five films of decreasing quality in quick succession. But every so once in a while something decent comes along and promptly gets ignored.

The Ruins is such a film. Based on a book by Scott B Smith (A Simple Plan), the story sees four young adults on a lazy vacation in Mexico. Looking for a last fling of adventure, they take up the offer or a trip to an undiscovered ruin in the jungle. But naturally there is more than just old architecture in the Ruins and a Mayan tribe seems hell-bent on keeping our travellers from leaving the ruins. They soon discover why and what ensues is a blend of horror, paranoia and relationship breakdown within a confined space.

The thing I liked about this film is that it doesn't go down the route of filling the film with hot bodies and a rocking soundtrack. Its villain is something more than your usual bogeyman. It's also well directed and focuses on the breakdown of the human condition rather than going for a gore fest. There's a great sense of paranoia throughout which is well acted by the young cast as they go from fresh faced youth to strung out and desperate in just over an hour.

First time feature director Carter Smith paces his film well, never revealing too much too soon, the real horror is not shot in a gratuitous way even though it's gruesome, it has a level of taste.

It's one of those films that you don't want to say a great deal about because it would spoil it for those that haven't seen it. If I had to compare it to anything, then I would say it shares some affinity with the un-nerving The Descent from a few years back. Both films play on fears of the dark and the unknown and keep their horror's grounded with a degree of reality.

- The DVD -

The widescreen transfer is very sharp and has a good level of contrast. The soundtrack is also atmospheric throughout and gives the film another level of involvement.

- Extras -

An audio commentary with Carter Smith and his editor turns into an interesting and very chatty affair covering a lot of ground on the production.

There are also a few featurettes that give an overview of how they made the film. They are of a good standard and feature a bunch of concept art and info on the central location of the ruins in the film.

The deleted scenes section features some good stuff that wouldn't have been out of place in the final cut. One scene shows a brief moment of hope for our characters as they get some much needed rainfall and drinking water. There's also an alternate ending that gives an alternate spin on the final ending, possibly giving a chance for a sequel. But they chose the right path to go down as the deleted ending feels out of context to the film.

Finally there is a well-edited and atmospheric trailer.

- Finally -

The Ruins is a great piece of work, well paces, stripped back and bare. It holds your attention and manages to keep a degree of taste when other horror films seem intent on all out shocks rather than suggestion. It proves that less is more.

Summary: At last - a well made piece of horror