"Would you like to play a Game?'...... In 1983, a supercomputer A.I. named "Joshua" asked that question of high school hacker David Lightman. Thinking it was "just a game", he chose to play "Global Thermonuclear War". Hilarity, hi-jinks and the possibility of instigating World War 3 ensued. The moral of THAT story was..., "the only way to win, is NOT to play".

But what if the stakes were lower? Let's say, the love of your life's LIFE, for immeasurable wealth and prosperity? Now, let's up the ante, say, unlimited wealth an prosperity for every living member of you family. But, the caveat is, that, if you decide NOT to make that sacrifice, the demonic, paranormal streams get crossed, and, your Fam is TOAST!!!

Thus is the dilemma that Alex Le Domas finds himself in, as "Ready or Not" opens with him and his betrothed, Grace, taking their vows in front of the entire Domas clan. What he has hinted at, but failed to fully disclose to his beloved. is that years ago, the deceased patriarch of the family made a Faustian bargain with a man named Le Bail, the terms of which were endless wealth and riches, in exchange for the promise that, whenever someone new marries into the family, they have to "play a game" seemingly chosen at random by a mechanical puzzle box. There are several seemingly innocuous games that might be picked, but, the one you DON't want, is "Hide and Seek", for reasons that will soon become apparent.

Alas, Grace draws the Hide and Seek card, and, while she thinks she's in for a fun and silly evening of frivolity, the reality is, that, unless she can remain hidden from midnight until dawn, she's will find herself playing the unfortunate native villager to the Domas's Aztec(ish) Demi God. This potentially urgent detail is withheld from her until after the game is afoot.

The thing is, it has been so long since the clan has had to play "Hide and Seek, that, they themselves are not fully convinced that the disastrous consequences of NOT completing (or losing) the "game" will actually come to pass. And thus, we as the audience have our own doubts. Plus, they are SO INEPT at using the medieval weapons they are each issued, that, mishaps and accidents are hilariously (and grotesquely) inevitable.

Here though, is where the writers surreptitiously turn the "final girl" trope on it's head. Rather than being the damsel in distress, screaming and crying, hoping to be rescued by her man, Grace quickly determines that she will be the master of her own destiny, much to the chagrin of the Le Domas clan.

Time and again, they seemingly corner Grace, only to be out-witted, out-lasted, and out-played in their own all too real game of Survivor. Thus, they become more and more desperate, as the clock keeps ticking toward the dawn. This precipitates a crisis of faith, in several of the clan, as they must choose between their humanity, their family, and their faith in the punishment that will supposedly occur should they fail.

We, as the audience, are left with the same doubts, and, right up to the end, we are second guessing what the reality actually is. The end IMO does not disappoint, especially when, upon viewing the Blu Ray "extras", you hear what the original ending was to be.

Samara Weaving is indeed an up and coming star to watch.