The Ruins [Blu-ray]

Reviewed by:
Gene Newman

The Skinny: The teen horror/gore genre just got a bit more interesting with this group of twentysomethings who seek out Mayan ruins that supplant their vacation with a holiday from hell. We don't want to give it away, but fear grows on trees…or in this case, creepy weeds. Picking up what we're putting down? No? Then you're retarded.

Reminded Us Of… Little Shop of Horrors, Cabin Fever, Turistas, Hostel, hiring a new gardener.

The Good: The overall premise is simple and has some genuinely horrifying and disgusting moments. Plus, Laura Ramsey is not only drop-dead gorgeous, she also has a nude scene.

The Bad: It's got all the stereotypical elements of a modern gorefest and the villain may seem a bit lame, especially if you're armed with a can of Weed-B-Gon.

Worth It in HD? Sure. It's a very colorful movie, and once they hit the ruins it's as if the plants are growing on your TV. Come to think of it, they probably are if you're as sloppy as we are. The regular DVD won't let you down, though.

Best Extra: A run-of-the-mill Hollywood lovefest in which everyone's happy to work on such an exciting new project, etc… We breezed through them to make some more time for Ramsey's nude scene. It may be less than 30 seconds, but we managed to turn it into a long afternoon.

CHECK OUT TWO EXCLUSIVE CLIPS FROM THE RUINS