Ready or Not

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Long before the heroine of "Ready or Not" utters one of the movie's most memorable and relevant lines, the audience is already thinking the same thing. In a blood-splattered wedding dress reminiscent of "Kill Bill's" The Bride, and trapped in a scenario that has populated some of storytelling's most notorious socialite satires (1989's "Society," Richard Connell's classic short story, "The Most Dangerous Game"), Grace (Samara Weaving) exclaims, "Fucking rich people" through gritted teeth.

She's currently attempting her escape from a torturously sinister game of Hide and Seek, played out on her wedding night by the Le Domas family, heirs and heiresses of a world-renowned gaming empire - though they prefer to be called a dominion. And dominate they do, hunting our protagonist around their sprawling mansion with guns, crossbows, and giant medieval axes, attempting to capture her before dawn and sacrifice her through a Satanic ritual that they believe their lives depend upon. The Le Domas clan made a deal with the devil long before their money-soaked reign took course, and when the devil comes calling, they feel it's their destiny-fulfilling duty to abide.

The result is great fun within a package of biting wit and criticism; it's a film that ultimately communicates the lengths that the rich will go to maintain their fortune and reputation, even if it comes at the expense of others. It's the perfect antidote for those looking to challenge the plights of the 1%, and it's ultimately quite nourishing in its cat-and-mouse narrative that pits the wealthy against the "weak." But weak certainly doesn't describe Grace, who tears through the night while challenging her adversaries at every turn.

Weaving is indubitably the heart of the film, playing a character that immediately demands our attention and gives us someone to root for. Her personality is fierce and funny, and it's one of the year's most demanding performances physically. Bloody and battered, Grace is put through the wringer as she fights for her life throughout the entirety of the film. It's a survivalist nightmare that is endlessly entertaining without surrendering its ominous underlying themes, and it barely wastes a second during a 95-minute runtime that exhibits zero fat. It's the definition of a "bloody good time," especially as the film enters its relentlessly gruesome final act that, despite its goriness, remains smart, droll and wholly satisfying.

In the end, the film's mantra is the aforementioned-attack perpetrated by the financially affluent. "Fucking rich people." The moment Grace voices these unforgettable three words, you feel inclined to respond with another trio: "You go, girl."

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