Review: READY OR NOT is the most fun you’ll have at the movies this summer

Midway through the new action/horror/comedy hybrid Ready or Not, a character stops and voices what the audience has likely been thinking the entire time: “The rich really are different.”

A supremely violent and comic takedown of the 1%, Ready or Not is a total blast, a thrilling game of cat-and-mouse that manages to remain surprising and unpredictable throughout.

Grace (Samara Weaving) is about to marry Alex (Mark O’Brien), joining the extremely wealthy Le Domas family, who earned their fortune in the gaming business (think Parker Brothers, not Nintendo). Following their wedding, Alex sheepishly explains to Grace that they have to participate in a special family ritual. Following each new marriage, the family joins to play a game of chance, which the new arrival randomly picks from a deck of cards. Grace manages to pick the Hide and Seek card, the one card in the deck with a violent twist; the entire Le Domas family has until dawn to track down and kill Grace, or they believe they will all fall victim to an old family curse.

From then on, it’s basically a non-stop barrage of mayhem and black comedy as Grace runs, hides, and attacks members of her new in-laws in a desperate attempt to make it through the night (still in her wedding dress no less, which gets progressively more war-torn as the film progresses). Samara Weaving is a total revelation here; she manages to convey shock, pain, and outrageous anger on the drop of a dime, and her little asides and emotional outbursts actually make her outrageous situation seem somehow relatable.

The entire Le Domas clan is perfectly cast, from the overly sarcastic Daniel as the brother (Adrian Brody in fine form), father Tony (Henry Czerny), manic cocaine-fuelled sister Emilie (Melanie Scrofano), and the over-the-top but wildly enjoyable Aunt Helene (Nicky Guadagni).

Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett and written by Guy Busick and Ryan Murphy, Ready or Not manages the difficult task of balancing a comedic tone that offsets the outbursts of violence with some great dry humour and unexpected gags. It’s one of the few films in recent memory that remains suspenseful and funny throughout, without ever dipping too far to other side.

A manic mixture of Clue and The Purge, Ready or Not is a clever and irreverent takedown of the ultra rich, and how their blatant self-interest can affect the lives of everyone else in their orbit. It’s easy to get wrapped up in Grace’s plight, and watching her take out members of the family in increasingly bloody and crafty fashion is wildly entertaining, especially with a packed crowd.

At 95-minutes, Ready or Not is a lean thriller that never stops to catch its breath. Yet even with its brisk running time, the film manages to skew income disparity and the out-of-touch 1%, while remaining a highly effective genre movie. Samara Weaving joins the ranks of great horror heroines with this performance (just watch for all the bloody wedding dress Grace costumes come Halloween), and the film’s comedic beats and numerous “oh shit!” moments should make Ready or Not a cult classic for years to come. Don’t wait for this one to hit streaming; you’ll want to see this in the theatre with a loud late-night crowd for the full effect.

Ready or Not is in theatres now.