IMDb user comments for
The Ruins (2008)

advertisement

Filter:

Best Chronological Prolific Authors Loved It Hated It Hide Spoilers:

Page 1 of 14:

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

Index

140 comments in total

---

60 out of 87 people found the following comment useful :-
Damn Good., 3 aprile 2008

Author: deadite11987 da United States

I wasn't too psyched for this movie beforehand, but I got a free pass and figured why the hell not and wound up seeing one of the better horror films I've seen in a good while. Thes best thing I can say about "The Ruins" is that it plays its hand honestly, there's no tweeny BS, no winking at the camera, it's just a classic situational horror film that just keeps getting from bad to worse in the best possible way. Like I said, I got in for free and I kinda feel like I owe 'The Ruins" 10 bucks. But as a small caveat, I saw this film with a bunch of pretentious jackasses sitting behind me and surprise surprise, they didn't like it. So if you fall into that category than do yourselves and anyone who can enjoy a straight shot horror film a favor and stay away.

---

47 out of 77 people found the following comment useful :-
Pretty good flick, 4 aprile 2008

Author: HartOgold da California, United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Saw The Ruins tonight with my 16 year old daughter at a special showing and it was surprisingly good.

Yes there was some gore and some laughs and definitely some jump worthy moments and a lot of suspense!

I've seen other reviews here talking about the killer vines but really they don't kill any of the characters. What the vines do though is pretty freaky and the memory of them will likely give you a twinge or two the next time you have a muscle spasm!

I've always loved horror moves and this was absolutely a good one and worth the view.

---

18 out of 30 people found the following comment useful :-
"A decent enough thrill ride", 4 aprile 2008

Author: (alvinvigil@hotmail.com) da United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Just when you thought it was safe to vacation in Mexico comes the new horror film The Ruins, based on a pretty cool book (or so I've heard) by Scott Smith, who adapted his own book into the screenplay. Four attractive American college students, Jeff, Eric, Amy and Stacy meet a German traveler while on vacation in Cancun who tells them about a hidden Mayan archaeological dig site in the jungle he plans to explore. Do they tag along, of course they do. So off they all go after a night of heavy tequila drinking along with another attractive Greek guy. Almost immediately, they sense something is wrong upon arriving at the Mayan temple, inundated with vines and beautiful red rosy flowers. This isn't your typical Little Shop of Horrors vegetation, either. The ruins have an evil aura about them and the unsuspecting vacationers are suddenly trapped on top of the ruin, as some Mayan descendants make camp around the ruin so as to keep them from escaping the ancient temple.

There's plenty of good stuff in The Ruins. Queensland, Australia substitutes for the mountains and landscape of Cancun (must be those extra tax breaks). And the young cast are good enough to add a sense of realism to the horror that is brought upon them. The Mayan cast, also, who "quarantine" the tourists on top of the Mayan ruin, are quite effective. First time director, Carter Smith, definitely brings on the chills and thrills in The Ruins. There's a psychological nature that plays well, but I've got to tell you, this movie is pretty damn gross. Smith goes straight for the gut-wrenching thrills. It's pretty graphic as far as graphic violence can go. You'll be squirming in your seat during a couple of horrific scenes when a traveler is injured with a broken back and another has these creepy-crawler vines inside of her body as they try to take them out using a hunting knife. Lots of gore and blood here, so in that sense, it delivers. The Ruins is a decent enough thrill ride that will make you think twice about visiting any type of ancient ruin yet to be discovered while on your next vacation in the jungle.

---

10 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
Not great, but something different, 12 aprile 2008

Author: sgtking da United States

Are you as tired of seeing remakes and movies about the undead as I am? Well then here's something a little different. Not original, but a change of pace. I haven't read the book, but the trailer looked good and so did the cast list. Plus instead of young people being done in one by by zombies, vampires, or a masked slasher it's a variation on the old man vs. nature idea, something not seen much recently and certainly not with so much blood and gore.

Pros: A talented and likable young cast. The scenery is lush and beautiful, as is the cinematography. Instead of just jumping right into the horror, the filmmakers try to create suspense and a little build-up. Moves at a pretty good pace. Plenty of moments and images that'll make you cringe. Impressive gore and make-up effects, and plenty of the former. A good and subtle score that sounds like a creepy rumbling sound at times.

Cons: As good as the actors are, the characters they play are pretty underwritten, which makes it hard to really get to know them. The CGI is pretty poor. There's really nothing we haven't already seen before. Sometimes the characters do really stupid things. A few cheap boo scares.

Final thoughts: Not likely to be the best horror film of the year, but you could do much worse. It's nice to see a horror film that isn't so flashy, teen-friendly, and devoid of suspense, which is exactly what the remake of 'Prom Night,' which hit theatres a week after this, looks like. But I know you hardcore horror buffs know better than that.

My rating: 3.5/5

---

15 out of 25 people found the following comment useful :-
Pretty cool.....I guess....., 3 aprile 2008

Author: Lando_Hass da The Thuderdome, b**ch!!

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I just screened The Ruins and didn't think much of it beforehand. I thought it looked cool, but didn't really expect anything bad or good. All in all, it was better than most movies of it's kind, and could've easily been worse, but could've been just a little bit better too.

Of course, it's about a group of young people that, by chance, find their way into the old ruins of some old Mayan pyramid thing. When they get there, they're ambushed by the (Mayan?) locals, and pretty much held at the pyramid/ruins against their will. The locals won't let them leave, and stakeout the outside of the ruins with guns and arrows and all that cool stuff. So, really, what's one to do in such a freaky, crazy situation? There's not much to do other than survive, which is what these people struggle to do throughout the movie. Not only do they have to worry about surviving from hunger or dehydration (five people have only ONE bottle of water to ration, plus a a tiny bit of food), but they also have to worry about not only the crazy ass killer vines/foliage that inhabit these ruins, but they also have to worry about staying sane.

Everything that can go wrong pretty much does. The worst things happen to these people. Really. I was watching and every few minutes, I just said, "Wow, that's a bitch. That sucks." Not only do they have to worry about freaky killer vines, they also have to worry about themselves, because one of them starts to go insane and one of them is seriously injured.

I know what you're thinking. The whole notion of killer plants/vines sounds completely stupid. I thought so, too. How was this going to be scary or even kind of freaky? Personally, I thought they handled it pretty damn well. What could've ended up being ridiculous and stupid ended up being kind of freaky. It's not really the vines/plants themselves that are scary, it's just the idea of what they are and what they do to these people that's kind of scary. The scenes inside the pyramid, where it's just wall to wall of this scary crap, was a little creepy because they were everywhere and it was overwhelming and claustrophobic at the same time. The scenes inside the actual pyramid are scary because it's so dark and it's such a confined space that these vines actually were kind of freaky because they were pretty much wall-to-wall. It was an abyss filled with these plants, that mimicked the noises around them, making them that much more creepy.

Of course, the movie's filled with blood. Lots of it. The violence is great because most of it didn't come from the vines like you'd expect; most of the crazy crap was a result of the characters; the presence of the vines just made things worse and nastier. None of the gore is there to really shock you, it's just there, it just makes you cringe instead of yell in excitement, like most movies of it's kind. There's a really nasty scene involving a guy, legs, a hunting knife, a rock, and a hot pan...and it's nasty....

The only thing I was missing from the movie was that it didn't really pack much of a punch. It was just there, there wasn't that much to it. A lot of what happens is sad and effective, especially how a lot of these characters get screwed over, but I would've preferred if there was just more to it. I thought it would've been better if the movie was just an all-out downer, even though nothing really positive ever happens. The characters act like you'd expect, too. They go through every decision rationally and logically, and opt not to do things that they know will get them killed. They react just as you'd expect someone to react in a situation like this.

It's a cool movie because it doesn't take the easy way out like most horror movies do. Bad things happen to characters that you like, even though you kind of hate to see it, because all these characters are pretty likable and interesting. I thought the ending could've packed more punch, because it ended up being too bland for my taste, but that's just me. Even though some unexpected stuff happens, it still could've used some more punch. But eh. Who cares?

This was a pretty cool movie. Could've been a little better, but could've ended up a lot worse, too. Pretty damn entertaining, and some pretty crazy violence.

Score: 8

---

18 out of 31 people found the following comment useful :-
Pretty good torture/snuff flick if you like that kinda stuff, 5 aprile 2008

Author: brian_herm da United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I went into this movie not knowing what to expect. I like creepy, scary horror flicks. This one is murder, torture and mutilation, which I don't find entertaining. But it was very well done, the acting was good and the characters were very convincing. Not very many actually scary moments in the film, it's more of a "what awful thing is going to happen to them next?" It's quite realistic - there's no weird plot twists, no attempt to find out any secrets about the ruins or destroy the vines, or making elaborate escape plans, which I appreciated. The characters just try to survive (which they mostly don't). I think the nudity at the beginning wasn't quite so gratuitous. The contrast between the characters' liveliness and attractiveness at the beginning and their condition at the end was an integral part of the movie. Although I don't care for this type of movie, it was well done, and I could tell the audience was really drawn into it.

---

6 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
The ruins are ruined, 9 aprile 2008

Author: aharmas da United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Somewhere there must be a director's cut of this, or an alternate version, or an extended version that must make more sense that the disjointed, chopped up, quite tame version of a book that seduces, ensnares, and repels you sometimes simultaneously. It's truly disappointing because the casting was pretty impressive, in particular Malone. There is some very impressive camera work, and a couple of moments where the audience is bound to jump, but the soul of the book is lost because the monster of the film is as scary as a plate full of cilantro.

The beginning of the film is quite promising, and knowing the author adapted his own book, one keeps hoping it will retain its spirit, but when the first character is dismissed, in a very shocking manner, one wonders why the rest of the cast wasn't dispatched pretty much in the next two minutes, saving us some listless sequences.

When reading the book, the scenes in the tunnel are some of the most horrifying and claustrophobic in memory, as we witness tragedy after tragedy, and some very horrifying moments. We've seen how scary scenes in these setting can be. For example, "The Cave" plunges you into hell, as darkness is as scary as anything can be, when well timed suggestive flashes can be. In "The Ruins", it looks like Christmas Trees were used to attack the girls, and let's not even go to the flowers' looks and sound special effects.

I was wondering where this film was made since the humidity of the Yucatan peninsula seemed to have dissipated along with any signals of common sense. Is Hollywood capable of doing something right, even with original material? Or is it easier just to pillage what worked in the cinema before and do a half-hearted remake? On the other hand, if this works, maybe someone will make a sequel and fix everything that didn't work here. Now that sounds like some original thinking.

---

10 out of 18 people found the following comment useful :-
more gruesome than scary, 4 aprile 2008

Author: saintnikolas da silicon valley

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

for 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.

---

11 out of 20 people found the following comment useful :-
If the plants don't kill then the movie will, 8 aprile 2008

Author: Kupotek da United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

So I saw that new installation of the "Kids lost in a dark cavernous place" horror genre entitled "The Ruins" this week and here's what I thought.

I must admit I went into this movie expecting a pretty stupid movie and it delivered in spades. I've become somewhat jaded by the Hollywood horror community over the last decade, and this movie was no exception.

The movie begins in a Cannibal Holocaust style fly over the jungle, sans the amazing theme music the former had, but I digress.

The story takes us to some ruins which the people of the area are intensely superstitious about. Going so far as killing one of their own simply because he touches a plant from the area of the ruins.

The group have no recourse but to go into the ruins, not only to escape the unapproachable natives, but because two of their friends have fallen in while investigating and have been hurt. A rescue ensues, which leads the group deeper into the ruins.

I for one have never been a big fan of movies that take place in dark caverns or ruins, simply because I watch a movie to see what's going on. A movie that's all dark and hazy is not my idea of entertainment. Raiders of the Lost Ark was a great balance of these elements, alas it is not a horror film so I digress yet again.

I don't however remember ever seeing a movie about plants (who interestingly look a lot like marijuana plants with red flowers), that so stealthily penetrate the victims, growing on clothing then branching out and inward to effectively constrain, eat and kill their prey. For that I really liked the originality of the premise. And it begs the question, what is it about these ruins that cause these plants to be, and what they are exactly, and how our characters can possibly escape.

Sadly this is not only not explored, neither are the ruins explored. In the final analysis the ruins are nothing more than the stage for our little play, nothing more.

The last movies i watched that had to do with dark caves of this genre was The Descent and The Hills Have Eyes 2. The Descent while very good and well developed, better developed than The Ruins had a profoundly unbelievable enemy, but I let that go because the movie was excellent. The Hills Have Eyes 2 was complete trash. So I ask myself, in the trilogy of recent horror films of the cavernous excursion series, this would fall just below The Descent but well above The Hills Have Eyes 2.

What saves the characters of this film are the decently talented actors: Jonathan Tucker (The Virgin Suicides, 100 Girls), Jena Malone (Donnie Darko, The Ballad of Jack and Rose), Shawn Ashmore (X-Men), everyone does an exceptional job, those I didn't mention I simply have not seen in other titles and feel I am not qualified to speak about them. They however all do a terrific job in the movie, I mean honestly who knows how anyone would respond in such a situation? There are many questions raised by this movie, and none seem to ever be answered and that is this films only real flaw. There just is no story.

Remember how I mentioned Cannibal Holocaust earlier? That film also had an amputation scene and that person died very soon after giving the film a rather cosmic futility effect. One might surmise that The Ruins is hugely inspired by Ruggero Deodato's Cannibal Holocaust. At least there are some strong parallels.

Honestly the only thing The Ruins lacked was any semblance of a story. It was an exercise in self mutilation and self annihilation.

I would imagine the natives would not ever have left the place so accessible be but rather build some kind of barrier around the place, I mean why is the place so accessible anyway, and what keeps the plants from attacking en masse throughout the film? And why would the natives even bring children anywhere close to the place? Honestly one must sympathize with the natives, after all if any spores got away from the ruins they could and would likely cause the extinction of mankind very quickly.

For a movie so lacking depth or logic, it was somewhat enjoyable on a brain dead level. In the end though one is left with the feeling that one has just endured quite possibly the most pointless exercise in the horror genre of film in the last decade.

---

1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Scary?, 10 maggio 2008

Author: pboorn da United States

I went to see this movie because a friend really wanted to. It started somewhat promising. When the first person died, it was a surprise. It went downhill from there. I never laughed so hard during a so-called "Horror" movie in my life!! It was so not scary that it was hilarious! I guess with Ben Stiller as a producer, I should have expected some comedy. The ending was pretty interesting, maybe there will be a Ruins 2, but hopefully it will not be so comical. An elderly couple sat in front of us and were laughing as hard as we were. If you want something that will scare you, save your money. This was no scarier than "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes." But if you want to see something that will make you laugh, this is a good movie.

---

---

Page 1 of 14:

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

Add another comment

---

Related Links

Plot synopsis	Voti	External reviews
Parents Guide	Official site	Plot keywords
Dettagli principali	Your user comments	Your vote history