The last time we saw man-eating vegetation on the big screen, it was
serenading Rick Moranis. I’m sorry to report that the carnivorous vines
in Carter Smith’s adaptation of Scott Smith’s The Ruins aren’t much for show tunes. But they sure mimic the hell out of a ringtone!
The
premise of The Ruins is utter simplicity: a quartet of American
tourists (Jena Malone, Jonathan Tucker, Shawn Ashmore and Laura Ramsey)
decide to add a little authenticity to their Mexican vacation by
heading into the jungle to check out some ancient… er, ruins. Their
curiosity leads them to a stone structure that houses a malevolent
force of unknown, but incredibly pissed-off origin; once they make
contact with it, they’re quarantined by the locals (at gun- and
arrow-point), and essentially doomed to remain there until they’re weak
enough for the foliage to finish them off.
Basic in concept and brutal in execution, The Ruins
is a welcome break from J-horror retreads and torture porn, and it
wouldn’t work without the intense performances turned in by its young
actors. So before you head out this weekend to see a German guy get his
legs amputated via dull blade and stone, why don’t you check out my
interviews with the non-plant cast?
You can read my chat with the gals here-ish. For the boys, just fire up the below video (that’s “Iceman” Ashmore on your right, and Tucker on your left). Their responses are pleasingly affectation-free.
The Ruins opens nationwide April 4th.