One of my favorite movie franchises is Scream, and I have been worried about the fifth installment of the horror classic since it was announced at the beginning of 2020, but now that we know that it is being worked on by the people at Radio Silence Productions, most of my worries have been eliminated. Radio Silence’s last project was the incredible 2019 film Ready Or Not, and my love for this movie makes me more confident in the new Scream film coming in 2022.
- The Concept
Ready Or Not uses a gothic mansion as a backdrop for a black comedy about a filthy rich family that hunts loved-ones for sport. We find our main character Grace marrying into the Le Domas family. To be inducted into this family every new member has to play a game. There is one game that you must play to the death, and Grace ends up in this sick game of Hide And Seek. The concept works because everything supporting the film is great: the humor, the acting, the writing, and the music. All of these things come together to make a classic horror vibe.
- How it does the horror vibe justice
Ready Or Not creates a vibe that makes you feel unsettled but intrigued. The soundtrack in a horror movie is very important, and this movie’s main song matches it’s vibe. The presentation and sound is old and creepy, but the dialogue and characters are funny, which keeps the audience’s emotions sliding between fear and hilarity. This movie is reminiscent of the campy mystery films (like Scream) that came before it.
- How it does horror fun
This film is fun and serious. It has a gothic mystery vibe and the tone of the classic comedic slashers we all love. It starts as a wedding dramedie. In a comedic montage, Grace’s soon-to-be inlaws insult her behind her back as she gets ready to walk down the aisle. We see that they don’t like her, so when the second acts starts and then when they have to kill her, it is believable that they would take pleasure in hunting her because of the way the first act establishes their animosity towards her. It brings great humor into a petrifying scenario.
- Conclusion
In Ready Or Not, there is perfect balance, and it shows how a good horror-comedy movie should be crafted.
Levi Jacobson Reviews 