The film stars Australian actress Samara Weaving (Image: © 2019 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation)
A film hailed as “one of the best horror experiences” is on TV tonight and is known to be “a treat” for fans of dark comedy.
This 2019 gem tells the story of Grace MacCaullay, a young bride about to marry Alex Le Domas, an estranged heir to a family which owns a games company with a dark past.
On her wedding night, when she meets her fiancé’s family, Grace quickly learns that the clan follows a twisted tradition – at midnight on their wedding day, every new family member draws a game card from a puzzle box.
After the seemingly harmless ritual, Grace draws “Hide-and-Seek” and goes into hiding, while unbeknownst to her, the family members each receive a weapon to hunt her down – hence the title, Ready or Not.
Alex finds her and tells Grace that the family is cursed – if a new member draws the Hide-and-Seek card, they must be found and ritually sacrificed before dawn, or else the players will die.
Weaving’s character gets caught in a sinister game of hide-and-seek after marrying into a family (Image: © 2019 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation)
What follows is a high-stakes game in which Grace fights for survival as others die around her – a complex match full of betrayal, manipulation, and unexpected twists.
The film grossed $57.6 million worldwide and received positive reviews from specialised media. On Rotten Tomatoes, where it boasts an 89% score, reviewer Noah Berlatsky summed it up, saying, “The set-up sounds clunky, and it kind of is. The execution, though, is peerless.”
Audience reviewers on the platform singled out the lead actress, Samara Weaving, as one of the film’s highlights. One wrote: “Ready or Not is an absolute blast. Samara Weaving is spectacular.”
They call the movie “bloody, hilarious, wickedly clever, and just the right amount of unhinged. Every time you think things can’t get crazier, the movie basically says, ‘Hold my champagne.’ Smart, savage, ridiculously entertaining, and a near perfect horror-comedy. Loved every glorious second.”
Ready or Not spawned a sequel, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come (Image: © 2019 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation)
Another called it “one of the most thrilling movies I’ve seen, and with a twisted humour that works too well.”
One fan admitted that Ready or Not is their comfort movie: “This is the best comedy horror! I’ve watched it numerous times because it’s just so good! Samara Weaving is EXCELLENT, as is the whole cast. When my day is long, and I just want a good laugh, I replay Ready or Not. Watch it, laugh and enjoy!”
The film was followed by a sequel earlier this year, titled Ready or Not 2: Here I come, which was also critically successful.
Ready or Not will be on Film4 tonight, at 9 pm.
