The Ruins (2008)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

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:

Cell Phone | Ruins | Taxi | Mexico | Corpse

Awards:

1 nomination

US TV Schedule:

Fri. July 17

12:00 AM

HBO

Cast

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

MPAA:

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

Runtime:

90 min | 93 min (unrated version)

Country:

Australia | USA

Language:

English | Maya | Spanish | German

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

Ireland:16 | Australia:MA | Netherlands:16 | UK:18 | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Finland:K-18 | USA:R (certificate #44170) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Manitoba/Ontario) | Sweden:15 | South Africa:16LV | Singapore:M18 (cut) | Norway:15 | France:-12 | Italy:VM14 | Germany:16 (f) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Australia:R | Argentina:16 | Portugal:M/16

Filming Locations:

Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

Ben Stiller was involved with this film because he is a friend of novelist / screenwriter Scott B. Smith.

Goofs:

Continuity: Amy loses her glasses while trying to escape from the vines. When she and Stacy are pulled out of the ruins, she has no glasses. Two scenes later, she is wearing glasses again. They disappear for the rest of the film.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Archeologist #2: Help me!

Movie Connections:

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

Soundtrack:

Solto O Frango

Creepy horror tale will stay with you

One of the better horror films of recent years, is creepy and scary and the sort of thing that makes your skin crawl. Its a simple story- several tourists go to a temple in the Mexican jungle that happens to be off the beaten path. There is of course something there and the locals are not happy about visitors. I won't say more since I'm going tempted to tell you way too much...which would be too much since the plot is simple. Its almost too simple. The reason the film works is that the film has decent characters and it does things that are decidedly not your typical horror movie choices. Its short, its sweet and it works. Its not perfect, there are one or two things I didn't like, but on the whole its a very good very creepy film. Frankly while Brazil got upset about Touristas a year because it might make think people about going there, Mexico should worry since this film will make anyone think again about going into ancient ruins. (7.5 ish out of 10 on the horror scale because thinking about the screams makes my skin crawl)