The Ruins (2008)

The Ruins (2008)
Directed by: Carter Smith
Written by: Scott B. Smith
Starring: Jena Malone, Jonathan Tucker, Shawn Ashmore

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzdto154_to[/youtube]

The Ruins (2008)

(18) Running time: 90 minutes

Director: Carter Smith

Writer: Scott B. Smith

Starring: Shawn Ashmore, Jena Malone, Jonathan Tucker, Laura Ramsey

Reviewed by: Matt Wavish, official HCF critic

Hate to say it, but i actually really enjoyed this. It had a certain charm that i also found in Paradise Lost. The cast were like-able, and believable. The basic plot is this, 4 friends, 2 blokes and 2 rather attractive young ladies  have one day left of their hols and decide to go with this German guy they just met and his friend on a hidden path in the jungle to these ancient Mayan ruins. The German guys brother is supposed to be there too.

Anyway, they’re followed by some Mayan kids, and when they find the Ruins they get surrounded by these Mayans with guns and bows and arrows and are forced to climb the ruins and stay there. They’re not allowed back because the Mayans believe they have been cursed for touching the ruins. Anyway, from then on, its a survival film, with the cast in a nasty predicament, they can’t get down because of the Mayans, one of them has a broken back, and the plants are coming alive to get them. I know it sounds silly, but the plants are actually very well done, and at times even creepy  It works well because it heavily based around the breakdown of the youngsters relationships and how they start to lose it, but the plants do make for some pretty sick scenes, in fact, there’s a few scenes which made me wince a bit. Well worth a look, not to be taken too seriously, but good all round Friday night entertainment.

Rating:

[pt-filmtitle]The Ruins[/pt-filmtitle]