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THE RUINS DVD

Starring: Jonathan Tucker, Jena Malone, Shawn Ashmore, Laura Ramsey and Joe Anderson

Directed By: Carter Smith

Unrated contains: violence, language, gore, nudity and sexuality

By John Delia

Not being a huge fan of horror I was surprised when I came up liking The Ruins. The film has a story that’s very creepy, chilling and with today’s modern special effects, very scary. If you like your horror with a supernatural ingredient then The Ruins is a must see DVD.

The movie centers on a group of college friends who are on vacation in Mexico when they run into a young German tourist Mathias (Anderson) who tells them of an ancient Mayan pyramid dig his brother is working. Peaking the interest of Jeff (Tucker) and Eric (Ashmore) the two convince Stacy (Ramsey) and Amy (Malone) to take the side trip for their last day in Mexico. With Mathias as their guide, they go to the ruin. Arriving at the site in the thick jungle, the group gets surrounded by Mexicans who seem to be protecting the ancient temple. But, when they realize that the locals are not there to protect, but to prevent something very disturbing from being spread, the college kids are forced into inescapable terror.

The wonderful acting by the young newcomers adds a lot to the movie experience. Under the able direction of Smith, the performances by Malone, Ashmore and Ramsey provide a new dimension in fright. Although special effects and make-up play a large part in the grotesqueness of many scenes, the actor’s expressions of horror and terror make for some very morbid entertainment.

The film does borrow from some horror films of the past, but the way The Ruins incorporates the elements makes for more terrifying entertainment. I was jolted a few times when Amy and Stacy are trapped in the interior of the pyramid. And when night falls, the creepiness of their attackers gave me a chill. Add to this some very inventive gore and you have a weird treat for those that love their horror bloody and nasty.

The bonus features in The Ruins are slim, but interesting. There are some deleted scenes that should have been left in the original theatrical showing as one of them gives more depth to the characters and the alternate ending to me was a lot more disturbing. The behind the scenes featurette is a must see, but not until you have seen the movie as there are some spoilers.

The film contains nudity, sex, language, violence, gore and brutality and should only be viewed by responsible adults.

FINAL ANALYSIS: The Ruins is near the top of my fright list for 2008 and I highly recommend it as a must see for horror fans. (3.5 of 5 stars)