Ready or Not
Can a 2019 Hollywood-produced film get away with constructing the most ridiculously conventional female character in horror? Perhaps, since Samar Weaving really makes it work and removes our attention from the ridiculousness of her character’s arms akimbo style of survival, her ripped and not-so-white wedding dress, and some old sneakers. When it comes to Grace, the genre clichés are overwhelmingly bold, but thankfully, that alone doesn’t ruin the movie too much.
The film balances horror and comedy by playing with the stock characters (“clueless” Fitch, “snob” Charity, “sinister” Helene, and a “junkie” Emilie), who are already stuck in an absurd situation and then are placed into more amusing positions. Alex, with his inconsistency and hesitation, is perhaps less of a stock character and more authentic out of all of them: after all, who on Earth could not be conflicted when bringing a new member into the family that is so complicated? By the end, Alex transforms from an incompetent, cowering in fear man into the evil that his family wanted him to be. Once again, only Alex gets the character development - even though it is destructive.
For a popcorn-silly-movie-night film, Ready or Not presents a rather convincing portrayal of the complexity of family relationships. The rich are taken down, the traditional marriage convictions are heavily criticized, and the viewer is entertained for every minute of its time.
