THE RUINS
US, 2008, 91 minutes, Colour.
Jonathan Tucker, Jena Malone, Laura Ramsay, Shawn Ashmore, Joe Anderson, Sergio Calderon.
Directed by Carter Smith.
Recent years have seen so many horror films and slasher terror that even the fans might feel somewhat sated. Those who watch them are now probably able to predict most of what will happen and have become experts in the genre. However, The Ruins is a bit different and much better than many of them. It is based on a novel by Scott Smith who wrote the screenplay as well. (Smith also wrote the novel and screenplay for the excellent drama, A Simple Plan.)
One of the differences is that more attention is given to the characters. They are not the usual American bimbos and jocks who seem to populate these films only to be picked off in gruesome variations of torture and death. This time they are four friends in Mexico on holidays who take up the offer of a young German to visit the Mayan ruins (not on the maps) where his brother is excavating. While they go through the usual frights and fears, they are played rather more substantially than usual.
Another difference is that the menace comes from clinging and slithering vines on the side of a Mayan pyramid whose flowers can mimic sounds including human voices – and, deceiving the group into thinking they might call for rescue, a mobile phone ring. Actually, the vines and the flowers are effectively produced by the effects staff and look alarmingly real, especially when they go into action, covering wounds, infiltrating the body and dragging corpses away.
This might make the film sound more gruesome than it is. However, it is gruesome in part but the film-makers have made these grim sequences, especially of amputation of legs and cutting out the vines from the body, rather plausible. What would we do if we happened to be in such a situation?
The five travellers are trapped on the pyramid because the locals know the power of the vines and are keeping armed guard to prevent the group from leaving.
Of course, it is all terror hokum but it is better done and more credibly interesting than usual – and it was all filmed in Queensland standing in for Mexico!
1.The popularity of eerie horror films? This film in the tradition?
2.The Australian settings, forest and beaches standing in for Mexico? The Mexican atmosphere? The holiday resort, the countryside, the roads, the jungle? The ruins, the steps, the top of the ruins? The excavations, the caves? Realistic? The musical score?
3.The conventions of this kind of horror film: the holidays, their interactions, their going on an adventure, the threats, coping with the dangers, some heroism, some defeats?
4.The focus on the resort, the expected behaviour, the four and their friendship, Amy and Stacy as friends, Jeff and Erica’s boyfriends? The encounter with Mathias? His friends? The party, Amy and her drinking, Jeff and his concern? The response to the invitation to go to the secret excavations? The drawing of the map, Dimitri and his giving the map to his friends?
5.The preparations for going, Amy and her hangover, her being persuaded to go, the others considering it an adventure? The drive, on the back of the taxi truck? The atmosphere of suspicion? Being left, Mathias’s brother’s vehicle? Going through the track, uncovering it? Seeing the children standing watching them?
6.Arrival at the ruins, the imposing ruins? Encountering the locals, the guns, the arrows? The killing of Dimitri? Their fears, rushing to the steps? Their going to the top of the steps? The Mayans, their standing guard, their not being able to go to the steps nor attack the young people? Their taking up vigil around the base of the ruins?
7.The fears? The different characters, Eric and his easygoing nature, Jeff and his being able to take charge, Stacy and her relationship with Eric, her concern? Amy and her relationship with Jeff? Fears? The excavation hole, Mathias going down, the rope snapping, his breaking his back?
8.The four on the surface, the decisions? Stacy going down, helping Mathias? Her fears? Their extending the ropes? Their making the stretcher? Amy going down, their lifting Mathias? Their going up?
9.The growth, the vines, creeping on people? The sounds of the phone, the two girls looking for the mobile phone? Discovering the dead bodies? Discovering that the flowers could mimic sounds and voices?
10.Mathias, his injuries, the vines on his legs, the need for amputation? Jeff and his doing the amputation? The vote, Mathias wanting it? Stacy and her helping? Eric and his revulsion? Mathias and his death?
11.Stacy and her wound on falling in the excavation? The vines getting into her? Her fears, cutting the vines out, her cutting her own legs? Her paranoid attitude towards Amy? Her wanting to die, especially after her fears and stabbing Eric? Jeff killing her – off-screen?
12.Eric, ordinary, courage, helping with the excavations? Trying to reassure Stacy? The suddenness of his death? The bodies being taken by the vines?
13.Jeff, his going down, the reaction of the Indians? The throwing of the vine and its hitting the boy, the Mayans executing the boy?
14.The final plan, Jeff and his going to distract the Mayans, Amy and the car keys, the escape? His going down, carrying Amy as if she were dead? His confrontation of the Mayans, explaining who they were, their names? Ordinary Americans on a holiday? His being killed?
15.Amy running, the pursuit through the jungle, her getting to the car? Her driving away?
16.Her going back to civilisation – but the mystery of the vines, their going with her?
17.An ordinary group of young people rather than the stereotypes of the usual horror slasher film? Giving it some credibility? Atmosphere? The possibilities and what if …?
