Eye Candy #95 - "The Ruins"

The Ruins: A WILDLY underwhelming “thriller” from Scott Smith (who gave us the fantastic “A Simple Plan”) about a group of American college kids who run afoul of…something while visiting some ruins off the beaten tourist path in Mexico at least became a vaguely mediocre horror film following roughly the same premise (yet whereas the book was a stone cold snoozer of a read, the movie at least doesn’t overstay its welcome). Thinking they are going on an exciting little side-hike with a few fellow tourists, they soon find themselves at the foot of a pyramid in the jungle, overgrown with vines, and the local population won’t let them leave (as in “shoot you in the head” won’t let you leave). And our poor, foolish Americans soon discover why they can never leave, to their detriment (it is a horror movie after all). Gory, gruesome, with some disturbing visuals involving the “monster” of the film, its flaws are still the same as the books - you don’t care about the kids, you have no explanation of exactly what the “monster” is other than sort of general species, and it’s hard to feel sorry for all involved. The Mexico movie slogan should be “Americans! Come to Mexico! And Die Here!“ Woodchuck sez, “Skip it.”