Displaying items by tag: Tyler Gillette

READY OR NOT: HERE I COME

US, 2026,114 minutes, Colour.

Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton, Elijah Wood, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Sean Hatosy, David Cronenberg, Olivia Chang, Antony Hall, Nestor Carbonell, Kevin Durand.

Directed by Mark Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillette.

It is six years since the original film made such an impact, popularity, positive critical reviews. It had a complex plot and characters, dangerous situations, deadly games and hunting, guess, conflict between the wealthy and the poorer, the suggestions of Satanism. At the centre is Samara Weaving as Grace, the young bride in the first film, the target of the deadly game of High and Seek, satanic ritual whereby she becomes the hunted by the rest of the family, a sacrifice in the perverse satanic world.

The sequel, with the addition of Here I Come, a strong affirmation by Grace, Samara Weaving appearing again (and, as suggested previously, passing for Margot Robbie’s sister).

The sequel takes up from the past, lots of references to the characters and action of the past and sinister plots and menacing games. But, while there is a repetition of the plot, a repetition of the dangerous hunt with even more complex situations, there are some additions to the plot, especially the introduction of the estranged sister of Grace, played by vigorous Kathryn Newton. This time, they will share in being hunted together, reconciling, clashing, falling out, but a final coming together and victory over the satanic machinations and rituals.

Also added this time is the character of the family lawyer, smooth and smart, sinister, explaining the regulations and the families commitment to a mysterious and sinister character who controls the family and its destiny, creating its satanic laws. He is played by Elijah Wood, presiding over the satanic sacrifice but, somehow unexpectedly, surviving.

Also added is the development that there are various families involved in having the ring from the original founder of the group, is gaining power over everyone and control of the fortune. And, this time, there are Hispanic rivals, Indians, Chinese, all arriving for the ritual and hunt. Sarah Michelle Gellar and, a somewhat demented Shawn Hatosy are ruthless villains.

There is also an intriguing cameo at the opening from master-director, David Cronenberg, who is a larger-than-life portrait intimidates throughout the film.

The mansion is large, the grounds also large, patrons celebrating weddings and playing the casinos hurried out so that the rich can commence their deadly ritual game. So, all kinds of hunting, hiking, traps and ambushes, betrayals, greater use of developed technology from the last film, as well as betrayals, cowardice, really unpleasant characters – and, for those breaking the rules, as previously, the characters exploding.

The review of the first film complained about the tiresome language. The same here, though more so, all the characters have an extremely limited four lettered vocabulary more than frequently invoked, no creativity in invective and exasperation expressions.

The final ritual where the disciples have all gathered leads to violent and chaotic mayhem of destruction during the satanic ritual – with Elijah Wood looking on while the two sisters, at last, reconciled, lacerations and wounds galore, facing their future (and another sequel?) together.

READY OR NOT

US, 2019, 95 minutes, Colour.

Samara Weaving, Adam Brody, Mark O' Brien, Henry Czerny, Andi Mc Dowell, Nicky Guadagni, John Ralston.

Directed by Mark Bettinelli- Olpin, Tyler Gillette.

The title obviously has us ready for games, for hide and seek. And, just in case we didn’t pick up on it, the pre-credit sequence offers us a rather grimly comic version, set in a mansion, very well-dressed characters pursuing the hider with a range of weapons, a young boy offering a hiding place in a closet, only for him to tell everybody else that this is where their victim was. And, he is a victim.

Move on 30 years.

This is a contemporary horror story, more than a touch of the gory, but a tale very much tongue-in-cheek, the blend of horror and comedy – and more than a dash of Satanism. Which means, of course, that we might be laughing one moment, thinking that the characters and their behaviour is absurd at another moment, reacting to some grizzly deaths, and then

smiling again.

One drawback for audiences who might be able to enter into the macabre fun is that much of the dialogue exhibits the syndrome of lazy writing, ultra-lazy writing, with expletives and four-letter exclamations substituting for real dialogue. In fact, a lot of this kind of script becomes very tiresome – and, to quote a very serious reviewer with whom many of us would not always agree, actually made a strong comment about the leading lady being “notably foul-mouthed” as are most of the rest of the characters.

With that off the chest, we can say that Ready or Not has a lot going for it if you want a satire on the ultra-rich in the US, referred to as “the one percent”, if you want huge plot exaggerations, if you want sinister humour.

The setting is a wedding at an enormous mansion, the home of the groom (Mark O’ Brien) and his older brother (Adam Brody) who happens to be the little boy that did the betraying in the pre-credit sequence. Millionaire father is Henry Czerny. Wife is Andie Mc Dowell. And, the heroine is played by Samara Weaving (with everybody noting that she could pass for Margot Robbie’s sister). Her name is Grace and we learn that she was an orphan, fostered, in love with her fiance who has rejected the greedy family who are very wary about introducing such a young woman into their exalted household. It can be noted that there is a harridan aunt, daughter, some wives and husbands and a supercilious butler and several maids. Not exactly a spoiler, but it can be said that there are very few survivors of the film!

The family has built on wealth achieved by an unlikely coincidence and is proud of its family tradition. However, at midnight on the wedding day, a game has to be played. Unfortunately, for Grace, it is Hide and Seek, with her death as the culmination – and, performed in a ritual satanic ceremony!

Back in the 1920s and with several later films on the same theme, there was an archetypal story, The Most Dangerous Game, the pursuit of all the characters and their elimination. (Agatha Christie did it in And Then there were None). So, it is quite dangerous ride, an increasing number of gory deaths, leaving Grace a persevering survivor, some betrayals, and quite a number of puffs of blood!

ABIGAIL

US, 2024, 109 minutes, Colour.

Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Alisha Weir, William Catlett, Kathryn Newton, Kevin Durand, Angus Cloud, Giancarlo Esposito, Matthew Goode.

Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillette.

Abigail was a successful horror-thriller of 2024 directed by the duo who were responsible for Ready or Not, the remake of Scream and Scream VI. It has a strong cast of character actors – invited to act and overreact!

The film begins with the young Abigail, Irish actor Alisha Weir, a ballet dancer, Swan Lake. And she is observed by a number of people at the theatre and in waiting vehicles. What follows is a kidnapping. They are  not known to each other, not knowing anything about the girl or her family, are trapped in a house for 24 hours by the intermediary, Giancarlo Esposito.

There is a lot of complaint on the IMDb that the trailers gave away the major twist of the film. It is certainly better for the audience not to know anything about the film before they start to watch it.

So, very strong spoiler alert.

The switch in the screenplay is that it becomes a vampire film, the little girl an age-old vampire, her father a master criminal. When the revelation is made, the main part of the plot is her attacking the various members of the kidnapping group. They have codenames, the central character, Joey (Melissa Barrera) has a skill of explaining some of the background of each of them so the audience knows their personalities, skills, dark secrets.

There are very few holds barred in the presentation of the vampire attacks, especially the bloodsucking and the destruction scenes, massive blood explosions as each character passes into eternity. There are various betrayals, revelation of secrets, the role of the young girl, the final appearance of her father (a surprise in Matthew Goode).

Dan Stevens is the leader of the group, it is a pity that the most sympathetic of the group played by Will Catlett is killed early. Angus Cloud is the young sociopath. Kevin Durand is the heavy. The other female participant is the tech expert, played by Kathryn Newton.

A lot of the action and performance is very much tongue in cheek, touches of comedy and parody, and a huge overload of coarse wearing language.

For the fans of horror films with twists.