The Ruins (2008)

Director:

Carter Smith

Writers (WGA):

Scott B. Smith (screenplay)
Scott B. Smith (novel)

Release Date:

4 April 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Terror has evolved.

Plot:

A group of friends whose leisurely Mexican holiday takes a turn for the worse when they, along with a fellow tourist embark on a remote archaeological dig in the jungle, where something evil lives among the ruins. |

Plot Keywords:

Bandage | Vulgarity | Vacation | Cellular Phone | Blood

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Jonathan Tucker	...	Jeff McIntire
Jena Malone	...	Amy
Laura Ramsey	...	Stacy
Shawn Ashmore	...	Eric
Joe Anderson	...	Mathias
Sergio Calderón	...	Lead Mayan
Balder Moreno	...	Mayan Horseman
Dimitri Baveas	...	Dimitri
Patricio Almeida Rodriguez	...	Taxi Driver
Mario Jurado	...	Mayan Archer
Luis Antonio Ramos	...	Mayan Rifleman #1 (as Luis Ramos)
Walter Quispe	...	Mayan Rifleman #2
Pauline Whyman	...	Wailing Woman
Nathan Vega	...	Mayan Boy
Tanisha Marquez-Munduate	...	Mayan Girl

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence and gruesome images, language, some sexuality and nudity.

Runtime:

USA:91 min

Country:

Australia | USA

Language:

English | Maya | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #44170) | Netherlands:16 | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:14A (Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Singapore:M18 (cut) | South Africa:16LV | Finland:K-13 | Sweden:15 | Australia:MA | Ireland:16

Filming Locations:

Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Company:

BenderSpink

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: On top of the ruins there is an opening with a rope in which people can lower others by turning a wheel. When one of the characters is going down into the ruins, the camera changes quickly between the person going down into the ruins and the characters lowering the rope. Even though they are lowering a person into the ruins, they are actually twisting the wheel the wrong way, which shows the rope moving up, as if they are taking someone out of the ruins.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Archeologist #2: Help me!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Ashton Kutcher/Gnarls Barkley (#33.10)" (2008)

Good for it's genre

The Ruins has it's typical horror movie cliché's, but aren't really that big of a deal compared to the overall effect the movie has. The nudity scene is very short and not very explicit, the cheating girlfriend thing isn't that big of a deal either. The only corny parts in this movie I would consider mediocre and not that big of a deal.

The acting was overall pretty decent. I've always been impressed with Ashmore since he played the only good role in the "Animorphs" TV series. I was also very impressed with Jonathan Tucker's acting. Malone and Ramsey through in great performances as well.

The chills in this movie were real. My fiancé' was so disturbed during this movie that at one point he started biting my scalp. The movie also uses an excellent balance of silence and music in appropriate sections. And the fact that the audience is kept in the dark about some of "why" this was going on is also a big bonus. There isn't an overabundance of blood and gore, but it's great for this movie. Kudos for a horror flick that does it right!