The Ruins Movie
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Storyline
TAGLINES
Terror has evolved.
A group of friends whose leisurely Mexican holiday takes a turn for the worse when they, along with a fellow tourist embark on a remote archaeological dig in the jungle, where something evil lives among the ruins.
| Jonathan Tucker | Jeff McIntire |
| Shawn Ashmore | Eric |
| Joe Anderson | Mathias |
| Sergio Calderón | Lead Mayan |
| Jesse Ramirez | Mayan Bowman |
| Balder Moreno | Mayan Horseman |
| Dimitri Baveas | Dimitri |
| Patricio Almeida Rodriguez | Taxi Driver |
| Mario Jurado | Mayan Archer |
| Luis Antonio Ramos | Mayan Rifleman #1 |
| Walter Quispe | Mayan Rifleman #2 |
| Nathan Vega | Mayan Boy |
| Tanisha Marquez-Munduate | Mayan Girl |
| Chris Argirousis | Greek #1 |
| Alexander Gregory | Greek #2 |
6.40 out of 10 (3557 votes)
Visitor Reviews
A pretty good horror movie
posted on 26 Aug 2009Four American tourists agree to a trip into a South American jungle with a German tourist, to look at an ancient Aztec temple. Once they get there, they find themselves trapped on the temple by some locals. However, they begin to realize however, that they are keeping them there for a horrifying reason....On the surface, this is yet another movie about American tourists getting into trouble in another country. However, unlike for example Paradise Lost, the Hostel movies, Wolf Creek, and such, the threat here is not from a human source, but something else. It's a refreshing change, but that is only one of the plus points in this good horror movie. There are many more.The script, written by Scott B. Smith based on his own novel, is pretty good. The characters are well written, and the plot as it unfolds takes it's time to play out, which again is refreshing. Most American horror movies seem to want to rush through the opening scenes, to get to the so-called scare moments, but Smith takes time with his plot, as he did with his other script, the brilliant A Simple Plan. This movie isn't as good as that but it is still good. One of the key things is he never explains how or why the temple is doing what it is doing, yet you never really question it. He allows some intelligence in not only the characters but also in the audience watching. Again, a refreshing change.The performances from the cast are good. The script allows time for the cast to make their characters believable (for a horror movie)and as the horror and terror mounts, they react in different ways.The direction by Carter Smith is good. He creates a sense of dread as the the events play out. While the movie is not particularly scary, he creates a sense a good sense of dread, right up to the end, and also doesn't try and cop-out at the end, or allow for some awful twist. Again a welcome change.The movie does have some scenes that are bloody, or graphic and gory, it's not over the top. There is a reason for the violence in the movie, and also the blood and gore. It's not simply there to gross-out the audience (though the scene with the makeshift amputation will have that effect, no doubt!!).At a time when most of the American horror movies are either remakes or sequels, it's nice to see a horror movie that while not original at least is different. And for that reason alone, it's worth watching.
more gruesome than scary
posted on 26 Aug 2009for a horror movie, "The Ruins" is more of the gross-out variety than the bone-chilling, "what's-around-the-corner" type. there are definitely some disgusting moments in the movie, the kind that you'd want to fast-forward through if you could. does that make the movie scary? not really. the "monster" in the movie is killer vines. not really scary. the movie seems more like a short story. there's really only one significant set--a flat-top pyramid--and not that much action or intrigue. the vines are pretty one-dimensional, and remain unexplained. they are actually not that threatening when the characters keep their distance. the movie takes place in broad daylight, so the atmosphere doesn't add anything to the scare level.so I was slightly disappointed. if you expect to be truly scared, you'll probably be disappointed as well.all in all, the movie is put together well, it just doesn't have much in the way of story or mood. it's surprising to me that it's adapted from a full-length novel. they must have left a lot of stuff out.
What the?
posted on 24 Aug 2009some American girls and guys are on holidays in Mexico. The follow a German into the jun gel to have some adventure! much like "The Beach". But what happens then is just not good at all: that was the worst movie i have seen since I am Legend! 1. the "German" guy had a none German fake accent, and he did not even know how to pronounce his brothers name! 2. the whole story is more then lame and ridiculous boring! 3. the directors need of showing blood is totally annoying! its just over done! 4. the Maya is not accurate! (:P) 5.horrible lost movie night! 6. i can never sleep again.... 7. why would you make such a boring bloody movie? 8. how come someone who has got an Oscar before did this movie? 9. i liked Jeff! 10. why did he play in such a movie?
Not that bad, but doesn't exactly live up the book.
posted on 22 Aug 2009So after reading the book before the I wanted to see the film it made me more anxious for the film to be released, and to be honest it was a fresh cup of horror.The Ruins tells the story of four Americans who travel with a German to an Ancient Mayan temple for a leisurely vacation, but when they stumble against unfriendly locals their lives change forever.This is not your average clichéd horror *cough* Prom Night *cough*, but it delivers a new way to terrorize the audience. OK, I admit there weren't that many scares (maybe 1 that I jumped at) but the film keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time. The acting is superb and their emotions shine through, the death scenes were fairly gory and very depressing but the ending only slightly tips me off.Overall, The Ruins is a new type of horror that you should consider seeing, maybe once, but just a piece of advice: I recommend that you read the original novel by Scott Smith first before seeing the film.
A very entertaining horror movie
posted on 22 Aug 2009The ruins was a very unique and original movie. It was very different than most movies you will see. Some of the reasons it was different were because the plants were the things who were killing the people. This movie also had me kicking the seat in front of me because I was getting so frustrated with the characters. The only actor that I really liked a lot was Jonathan Tucker who played Jeff. I loved what he kept doing for his girlfriend. He trusted her and did anything for her. His girlfriend Jena Malon who was played by Amy on the other hand was a little bit annoying and needed some work. Laura Ramsey who was played by Stacey was Erics girlfriend who was played by Shawn Ashmore did very good jobs acting as well. Stacey became a little bit crazy toward the end. This movie really makes you think what you would do if you were one of the four up there. I really liked some of the visuals of the place they were staying at. The place the movie took place at was Australlia. This had some very great gore scenes as well. I honestly haven't seen some of the gore they showed in this movie. It was way more gore than I thought. Their was some nudity which they didn't need. They always throw it in the horror movies anyways. Overall this was a very well made creepy horror flick. There were many different scenes that will make you jump. In my theatre the first time I saw it I jumped a couple times. The second time I saw it there were more people in the theatre and I knew what was coming but everyone else jumped and screamed. I saw this Friday afternoon and it had like 5 other people in the theatre besides me. I was hoping that this movie was going to do really well but it didn't. There were more people in the theatre on Monday when I saw it for my second time. I think that half the reason it didn't do as well as they hoped was because all of the young teens wanted to see this and they can't since it's rated R. Overall this movie was a very fun, gore horror thriller. Go see this and I hope you enjoy it.
Just plain awful
posted on 20 Aug 2009Plants in an ancient Mayan pyramid structure killing all who come close. Yes it is weird, as the travelers do not figure it out until everything starts doing crazy. And in a movie like this, I just wished it went absurd and had marching bands being attacked by plants wielding machetes.Anyway, a group of people from America vacation and go into the mountains with a couple of other newly made German friends who know about the place. When they get there, Mayans began shouting at them and hide on the structure. And when there, thats when the plants decide to take them out, mimicking cell phone noises, humans, and ancient Mayan dead people.Nothing was really scary about the movie and was not even entertaining. Not even the weird ending could save this piece of crap. I kept looking for something really good to happen, but nothing. Oh well. "F"
Gripping and tense
posted on 18 Aug 2009THE RUINS... Not really a review - more some thoughts and comments that might be useful or fun if you've already seen the film. Or maybe not.Not that there was anything wrong with the brief character introductions during the first scenes of the film (they even were surprisingly decent for this type of film), but as soon as they arrived at the temple, the movie got me. It grabbed me, pulled me in and didn't let go. That doesn't happen too often, especially with the recently made horror films I've seen (I recall something similar happening when I watched Marshall's THE DESCENT for the first time). What struck me perhaps most about THE RUINS, is that it's not so much a film about killer vines (as we learn little about them), but much more about survival and how the characters react in their present circumstances. Kudos to the cast too, as they made their situation and actions believable. None of them even did or say anything remotely irritating (to me, at least). Kudos to Carter Smith also, for deleting that "let's drink away our desperation" scene (have you seen the extra's on the DVD?). That was exactly the redundant, clichéd thing I did not want to see in this film.I was actually thinking up a third possible ending, right on the spot as the final scenes unfolded. Now she escapes with the car. We see the Greeks, unknowingly reach the temple. End of film. I was thinking: Let her brutally crash the car and have the movie end abruptly. A brutal & sudden crash (like driving into a ravine or something), so the viewer is left baffled and with the sudden crash still resonating over the first seconds of the end credits. Leaving the audience a bit more shook-up this way, in a "suddenly no-one survives after all, but not because of the killer vines" kind of ending. No Greeks. The Greeks made the film somewhat end on a slightly funny note. After her boyfriend just having been arrowed to death, and her fleeing by car in a state of shock, the film didn't need that funny note at the very end. But then I saw the alternative ending (have you seen it on the extra's menu?), and I actually liked it better than the one with the Greeks. I can imagine some people calling the alternative ending too predictable & unoriginal or clichéd & uninspired. I say "no" to that, and think it's a great traditional way to end a horror film. They could have pulled it off, by having her crash the car against a tree or such, hitting her unconscious and fading to black (so the viewer has no clue if she's alive or dead for a few seconds). Then have the funeral epilogue-scene at the cemetery (alternative ending) come on.Sorry for this rather long assessment, but I just had all these thoughts about the ending stuck in my head.I'll quickly tell you something else. Something so idiotic, I was scratching my head while I read it. I know I'm not supposed to comment on other user-comments, but look at what one guy wrote in his summary line for his user-comment: "Italian Giallo in American mainstream clothing". I doubt if he knows what a Giallo film actually is, as he failed to point out any possible Giallo characteristics in his review. So maybe he got the word from this other guy, who wrote his user-comment 2 days earlier: "Giallo with Depth...Not bad, But Not Great...At All." Now, this guy is even funnier. Instead of elaborating on why exactly he's calling THE RUINS a "Giallo with Depth", he goes rambling on about Stephen King, comparing THE RUINS to several King adaptations. Next thing you know, he'll be saying King writes Giallo novels.Sad thing is, those two fellows don't even realize they might lead Giallo laymen up the garden with their improper use of the term. Sorry, and I'm not insulting anybody here, but I felt it appropriate to point this out.
The Plant does not stay in the picture!
posted on 14 Aug 2009In the extras for this film, somebody points out the lack of "killer plant" movies that have been made. Though the individual neglects to mention "Day of the Triffids" (based on the book by John Wyndham) it is true that this particular specimen hasn't really been focused upon in the horror film.The reasons for this become gratingly obvious in "The Ruins", a truly unique mix of the viscerally grotesque juxtaposed with the bustling tendrils of a rather large plant.Unsurprisingly, the plant in question (and in its full glory is rather impressive, one has to point out) doesn't really have an awful lot to do. It is the human players that are the agents of barbarism here. The villagers holding them captive atop the Aztec ruin not only dispatch one of the group for little more than raising his voice, but they also turn their guns on one of their own children.The role of the plant then, is marginalized. It can imitate sounds rather well though. Playing tricks on the protagonists's already fragile states of mind, it provides a catalyst for some of the more fiendish scenarios that follow. Admittedly, it does also dispatch the incapacitated "Mathias", but with his legs broken and weak as a kitten, this hardly poses a great challenge.It's only other victim is really one of suggestion - at the sight of a few wormy tendrils lodged beneath her skin the poor girl in question quickly sets out, (in one of the film's most effective and truly unnerving scenes) at hacking away at her legs and face, causing far more damage to herself in the process – such brio culminating with her mortally wounding another of the film's key players.The message is clear then, riffing along the lines of the "guns don't kill people, people do", the real enemy in this film is us, the plant is simply the bully in the playground stirring up an already volatile atmosphere, the rest is left for us to tear down.Hardly the most original of statements, but orchestrated intelligently enough here, yet carried off so much more effectively in films carrying the same message as well as "monsters" we can be frightened of: "28 Days Later" "Dawn Of the Dead" (2004) and more recently "The Mist". Films that all tick the requisite boxes without losing the viewer along the way.The problem then that plagues this film, is in the choice of its "other" - in this case, an overgrown clump of poison ivy. The sad fact is that killer plants have never been, nor ever will be, scary...at all. Their daft, scuttling presence here simply jars with the other, more effective elements of the story - such as the rapid breakdown of order that takes place within the group and the truly awful decisions they are forced to make as a consequence.Should we try and put mutated plants into any sort of cannon at all then surely they belong to the 1950's cycle of "atomic threat" monster movies. Their use by turns campy ("Little Shop...") or unintentionally amusing. (Day Of...") Two states that more or less capture the full extent of their talents.That said, The Ruins has a lot to recommend it. The scenes capturing the gruesome are uncomfortably realistic and provide much of the film's gravitas, the performances from the key players suitably frazzled, as the true nature of their situation dawns on them and it is rarely dull -coming in at a lean 1 hour 30 minutes the film never outstays its welcome. Next time though, leave the twitching, singing legacy of "Audrey" out of the picture.
I was pleasantly surprised...
posted on 12 Aug 2009I am definitely a fan of the horror genre, but over the past couple of decade these types of films have sort of become laughable. I'm not saying that by any means this film is a masterpiece of the genre, but I did walk out of the theater pleasantly surprised and satisfied.The story is about a group of course young white kids who decide to go on a little adventure to an ancient Mayan temple, "off the beaten path," as Jonothan Tucker's character Jeffery proclaims. As an audience member I'm sort of sitting there thinking that this is possibly the most overly used cliché, having a bunch of stupid kids doing something that most of them know is a stupid idea anyway. A German tourist who leads the group is actually looking for his brother and this is where the movie begins to get interesting.I won't give much away, but its obvious from the trailers that the ruins are invested with killer plants and weeds. The idea initially seemed sort of like a modern riff on Little Shop of Horrors, but the result of this film is actually quite thrilling and even scary at times.I would say that the most intriguing aspect of the film was how the characters relate to each other when the situation takes its turn for the worst. There is obviously a lot of infighting and struggle over leadership and emotions.I thought the film was decently acted with the standout performance being Laura Ramsey. She brought the most chilling aspects to the film.Overall, I enjoyed this film. I didn't jump at any moment in the film, which is usually how I gage whether something is scary or not, but there where a few moments that made me uncomfortable, but in a good way. There also aren't a lot of answers given as to what the killer plant were all about, which I liked because it adds to the mystery. This film was a fun ride and I recommend it, but I don't recommend that they make a sequel or if they do, do it well.
Another reason forget about traveling outside the U.S...
posted on 06 Aug 2009My supervisor hooked me up with 2 free passes for this yesterday and I somehow managed to rope my girlfriend (who never watches scary movies) into going with me. We got to the theater and just about EVERY SINGLE SEAT WAS FILLED!! I was silently praying that this movie wasn't going to suck. I was right. This movie was awesome. The leads were all great. With the exception of Sean Ashmore, I knew I'd seen the others somewhere before but couldn't remember, adding that "fresh-face" quality. The set-up for the characters didn't last any longer than it should have and introduced us to our heroes quite nicely. Before you know it, we're off to the Mayan ruins to get mutilated. This films was different in how it presented the killer and the direction it went afterwards. Also, the gore was just sick son. HOSTEL ain't got nothing on this. Cool flick. I so would have paid for it if not for the free passes...
If you like gore, and grotesque scares...
posted on 06 Aug 2009Then this for you. I went into this movie with fairly high expectations because of how well done the novel was, and I wasn't disappointed. Let me start off by saying that if you don't like blood and gore, you should stay away from this film. There are multiple moments that made me cringe, and the gore was super realistic so stay away if you have a weak stomach.The screenplay was well done, but I questioned why a screenwriter would take so many liberties with his own book. Everything from the ending, to a couple of the characters names were changed. Don't expect to see the novel transported on screen. That said I think it was still well done. The dialog is a little thin at times, mostly the beginning, and the characters actions are questionable at times. That said, it is mostly believable. The acting was average, but more than sufficient for an American horror film. In fact it was leagues better than a lot of the horror trash we've seen lately.The special FX were very good. One of my main concerns was that the plant would look cheesy and not scary, but I was pleasantly surprised by how terrifying and beautiful the plant was. I like how the Mayan temple's atmosphere changed from impressive and beautiful when the college kids arrived, to oppressive and dark as the movie wore on. Bottom line. If you like the book, or like blood, gore or are looking for a casual, beautiful, but still claustrophobic psychological horror movie. Go see it, you won't be disappointed. I know I wasn't.
extremely bad
posted on 06 Aug 2009I saw the Ruins last night, and from the beginning credits i noticed Dream works had something to do with the filming, so i thought hey this shouldn't be bad, well i was so wrong, it was the worse movie i had ever saw and i enjoy mostly horror and thrillers even the down right cheesy one but this one takes the cake, i think who ever wrote this film shouldn't be writing movies ever again, the movie was a big joke.....i wish i could have gotten my money back, the funny thing is everybody around me and my friend in the theater thought the same thing and at the end there were a lot a lot of boos being said, actually pretty funny....My overall opinion of the RUINS, i would have to give it 1 star and a 10 star to say it down right sucked....
Above-average modern horror that needed more risks
posted on 04 Aug 2009The film has a lot of things going for it before it even started. Between Jena Malone, a Mexican setting (filmed in Australia), an excess of gore (supposedly), and a few Americans in peril, it definitely stood a chance to be good. Also, for someone (like me) who dug Turistas, which is apparently crap to the rest of the world, this seemed like it would be an easy one to like.The Americans in question, obviously extremely trusting idiots, are enjoying their Mexican vacation when they meet a curious stranger (Joe Anderson) who tells them about an archaeological dig his brother went on. The group agrees to go with him (a dozen miles from civilization, mind you) to 'the ruins.' There, they come across a violent group of men who drive them into the ruins where they discover the vine-covered corpse of Mathias's brother. As their trip of horror continues, they discover more dead, leading them to realize that the secret lies with the murderous vines of the Mayan ruins.I'll admit. . . while the idea seems a bit ridiculous, the thought of murderous plantlife is pretty damn cool. Not exactly terrifying, as a few good shots of herbicide could probably help out a great deal. . . but, still cool. However, the weak script often cuts away from the suspense, right when it starts to get heavy, and turns instead to something else (like screaming flowers). The brunette couple (Jena Malone, Jonathan Tucker) put forth good performances, as I've come to expect from them. But, the blondes (Laura Ramsey, Shawn Ashmore) simply were not very good, so I would've preferred some of their peril to be placed upon the better actors. But, the effects were good, as was the direction. . .But, to be honest, I'm getting a little sick and tired of all of these 'horror of man' films, the ones that use the 'monsters' as the subplot and the 'true turmoil' lies within the good guys. It's being done far too much lately and this is another one. You're being attacked by murderous vines: your greatest enemy is not your friend. So, I wish writers would stop doing as such.Anyway, encompassing all elements, 'The Ruins' is a fairly well made modern horror with a few genuinely cool and scary elements. . . but, due to some poor writing, iffy acting, and lack of risk taking by the filmmakers, it ends as a mostly forgettable film. Not bad for a Friday night, though.Final verdict: 6.5/10
Much better than I expected.
posted on 04 Aug 2009If I had known what this movie was really about, I would have read the novel. I saw a snippet of the trailer and miscategorized it as a typical horror movie.Now, the movie is not perfect, but the horror element is interesting. It's about a group of pre-college American tourists who, on a whim, accompany a German visitor in search of his brother (who followed a girl archaeologist to some off-map, Mayan 'ruins'). When they find the vine-covered ruin, a group of local villagers inexplicably force them to remain where they are. Over time, they learn that the vines are anything but normal plants... and the story progresses from there.I liked the movie because of the basic storyline and the unusual way the vines were dangerous - they were not just flesh-eating plants, but something more sinister, plague-ish and contagious. The intensity / tension amongst the characters was pretty good too.(Interesting note: the novel has a different ending than the movie; you can read about it by searching for the Wikipedia entry for the book).If you're in the mood for a horror movie that has some good things going for it - consider checking this one out.
Doesn't the horror genre deserve better than this?
posted on 04 Aug 2009My review is divided into questions that you really should ask yourself: 1. Plants eating people have been done HUNDREDS of times. It's been used by Nintendo in everything from Mario to Zelda to Metroid Prime. It's been used in plenty of low-budget 50's movies, on par with the lowest of the Godzilla franchise. And this brings it to a whole another level of cheese with plants that TALK. I've known no one who walked out, but I know a lot of people who absolutely broke out in hysteric laughing during parts of this movie. I was one of them. Doesn't the horror genre deserve something a little better than this pile of laughable crap? 2. The characters easily could have been copy/pasted from Hostel or Wrong Turn or Wolf Creek or any other movie with collage kids with bad luck. Yet it's called "characterizing" when the movie takes hours of your time to tell you clichés that hundreds of characters before have had? Don't you ever wish a movie had characters that weren't just forgettable pieces of meat with legs? 3. This was not gory. A guy cuts his skin off. Oh, my! (Not.) A guy gets his legs broken. Oh my! Gasp! (Not.) I have shown movies like this to my mother who hates everything to do with horror because it makes her sick, and she said: "I've seen PG movies worse than that! Why was it rated R?" So, why was it rated R? 4. Here's the only plot the movie/book has: collage kids drink, have sex, get naked, cruse, bleed, and eventually die. This is possibly the most typical example of a cheap, thoughtless horror movie, yet people call this "mature"? What the . . .? 5. I do not think I have ever seen something less original sense I watched A Beautiful Mind. Haven't you ever sat there and wished the horror genre, easily the most diverse genre out there, would do something . . . well, diverse? Something truly original?I just wish more horror movies would have actual horror, not just cheap collage parties put on film with a few splatters of fake blood tossed around.1/10
Better than I expected...
posted on 02 Aug 2009Based on a popular novel (which I have regretfully not read), "The Ruins" is a delightfully gruesome and intensely claustrophobic movie. Being virtually unfamiliar with the premise prior to viewing, I couldn't help but groan in dissatisfaction as it began with a group of twenty-somethings on an exotic vacation which was about to go horribly awry... Now, to clarify - I caught this flick in the theater right after it's initial release, without having read any information on it, so I was going in ill-prepared and fresh (something I should do more often). The concept of killer plants, opposed to another "torture-porn" kill-fest (Touristas, Hostel, Wolf Creek, etc), caught me a tad off guard and though vegetation hasn't run this rampant since a little film called "Evil Dead", I was overall entertained by what was presented. "The Ruins" contains merciless Mians, ominously sinister foliage that seeks the underside of flesh, and the ever-growing tension mounting among the group of vacationers quarantined atop of an ancient temple. Several scenes successfully rank high on the Cring-O-Meter, most notably a make-shift leg amputation method involving a rock and a two-inch blade as well as frantic self-mutilation... "The Ruins" is well worth a watch.
Fun Horror movie!!
posted on 31 Jul 2009I saw the trailer to The Ruins back when I saw Cloverfield and thought, Wow that looks bad. As the release date got closer i started hearing good word of mouth and that the book was really good so i got excited to see it.I went and saw this with my dad and my friend and they both hated it said the plot was bad, the acting was OK, the vines should have been explained, but then again they both hate this kind of movie. I, on the other hand, thought the plot was good, the acting was very good, not every actor can make you feel horrible for them, the gore was very surprissing not half as bad as the trailer made it look, the deathes were well thought out, but there should have been one more character that got killed by the vines.All in all if you like this kind of movie you will love it, i did'nt read the book by the way, the gore isn't bad at all, and the ending was satisfiying. But if you don't like this kind of horror thriller look somewhere else this isn't your movie.
What the hell?
posted on 29 Jul 2009I've seen my share of bad horror movies, but this one really tops the list. This plot would be crappy, even for a 'B' movie! The thing is, that when horror movies are this stupid, it turns out to be funny... But this didn't even manage to be funny! So the story is, that a bunch of students has traveled to Mexico for their vacation, where they meet this German fellow, who knows about some forgotten temple of the Aztecs, or the Mayans... But look out you guys, this temple is haunted, or cursed or something like that. So some people from an ancient tribe shows up, to keep the students on the temple, and now they are trapped... Now you're probably thinking: "HEY!... That doesn't sound THAT boring...." But wait, I am of course saving the best 'till last... This temple is haunted by nothing less than a plant. An evil plant, with the ability to copy sounds, like a ringing phone, and of course the ability to eat humans...Now if you by now are thinking that the plot sounds scary, and you want to see it, then by all means do it, but I'm just angry that I didn't know what the hell this was... The summary says "BLAH BLAH BLAH Ruins haunted by something evil...." Here's a quick biology lesson: Plants can't be evil!! So just a little reminder: Many thing in this world, and also not present in this world are scary... But one thing has been made perfectly clear to me now, plants just aren't!!
See the movie first then read the book or else be very disappointed.
posted on 29 Jul 2009As a movie on it's own, it wasn't bad but not great either. Based off the book, it blew the big one. They took the strongest characters from the book and turned them into the weakest and the weakest into the strongest. Plus, it has a happy ending, one of them gets away!!! No one lives in the book, I was thrilled to be seeing something with a dark ending that wasn't all Hollywood happy. Boy, was I disappointed. Also, I didn't understand why they killed Demetri in the method that they did since he's actually the one in Matthias's (sp) position. Once again, the strongest into the weakest. Matthias was an incredibly strong, intelligent young man who you thought might have a chance of surviving and instead they made him into the broken doll. Eric was the one who went crazy and Matthias actually dies at his hand and Stacey kills him because of the damage he's done to himself. ARGH!? Why were these events any harder to stay true to then what they did in the movie?! Oh yeah, I know why, happy ending and the chance to make a sequel.I didn't like the movie in the aspect that it didn't give the vines the intelligence that they had in the book. You kind of gather that they're a thinking entity but not really. Plus, the movie doesn't show how vicious these vines are.I could go on and on ripping apart the movie based off the book because the book was a fantastic and chilling read. It left you distrusting plants and thinking that excavation sites that are "off the beaten path" are worth avoiding. The movie had it's good moments but it was nowhere near as disturbing as the book. So, I recommend for the full experience, read the book but do so after viewing the movie.
Four sides to a pyramid, right?
posted on 26 Aug 2009I would hope that in a situation where my life is on the line my friends and I would be much smarter, level headed and inventive, not just let the bad things happen to us. The Ruins does have a great look to it and at times some good acting considering the subject material. But the characters are so damn stupid it physically hurts me, their eagerness to go down without a fight is an insult to natural selection. Correct me if I'm wrong but a pyramid has four sides right, ya I thought so. The ending feels to clever for these same characters to have thought up, where was this when their friends were dieing. With all that said the fact that there stupidity bothered me at least shows that I gave a crap about what was going on to these guys and that is more then I usual in movies of this type. Overall, slightly better then suspected, a little gory and a relatively good idea for a film, plus what a great location.