Ain't It Cool News: The best in movie, TV, DVD, and comic book news.

Is THE RUINS any good? Capone surprisingly says yes!

Cool! by Mezzanine	Apr 3rd, 2008 05:06:52 AM
I just watched The Mist today and that was so good that I was thinking that it was going to be impossible to find horror that was even acceptable. Good to hear the Ruins delivers the goods.
I hate myself by Mezzanine	Apr 3rd, 2008 05:07:25 AM
for saying, "First!!" but fuck it.
batmans_pants by batmans_pants	Apr 3rd, 2008 05:15:09 AM
First....sounds good. I shall be checking it out.
Ok not first. by batmans_pants	Apr 3rd, 2008 05:16:04 AM
But who cares. I shall still be seeing this, with rubber undies incase I wee wee myself for a continuous 90 mins.
often-unclothed by CuervoJones	Apr 3rd, 2008 05:16:35 AM
I don´t need to read more. I´m sold!
Sounds interesting by NomoredirtyjokespleaseweareYanks	Apr 3rd, 2008 05:29:19 AM
I tend to agree with the Capman a lot.
Way to go mezzanine & Batmans pants by NomoredirtyjokespleaseweareYanks	Apr 3rd, 2008 05:31:07 AM
douche vs douche.
Stephen King said the book was great... by The Amazing G	Apr 3rd, 2008 05:35:03 AM
yup
unfortunately.... by The Amazing G	Apr 3rd, 2008 05:36:21 AM
I think I'm probably gonna have to wait for the DVD, have to save my movie money for may :(
Nice! by Aloy	Apr 3rd, 2008 05:37:48 AM
The trailer (as they always do) looked interesting but I dared not hope that it would be worthy of a good B movie scarefest. I've just watched Mist, 1408 and Rec in the last week so it looks like I can stay on a roll with this badboy. Thanks Cap.
yeah I heard the book was effing incredible by RokurGepta	Apr 3rd, 2008 05:39:00 AM
I just might have to check this movie out
If it's as good as you say it is by D o o d	Apr 3rd, 2008 05:42:31 AM
I'm gonne give this a watch. I generally avoid all teen horror flicks as they all suck ass, especially the bloody Scream movies.
The Book Was Pretty Great by LaserPants	Apr 3rd, 2008 05:42:48 AM
I recommend it. Really scary and tense, gross, makes you feel very uncomfortable. Anyone who has been in the hot hot heat without any escape will know what I mean. No imagine being in inescapable hot hot heat with shit crawling under your skin (or is it) and going nuts and getting shot if you try to leave. A great read. That being said, the movie looks awful and I have no interest in seeing it. Do yourselves a favor and read the novel instead. Reading is good for you.
Cool, will have to check out the book after the film by NomoredirtyjokespleaseweareYanks	Apr 3rd, 2008 05:43:50 AM
that way I go in fresh, then get my own extended edition.
You had me by Napoleon Park	Apr 3rd, 2008 05:46:35 AM
often-unclothed Stacy.
What about "Shaky cam"? by DerLanghaarige	Apr 3rd, 2008 06:02:08 AM
I think it's more annoying in horror movies than in action movies. Are we going to see anything that's gonna happen in the movie?
Always expected a bit more of this than most by filmcoyote	Apr 3rd, 2008 06:08:16 AM
because Scott Smith wrote the novel and screenplay to A Simple Plan. I loved that book. I also loved that they cast Bill Paxton in the lead who was exactly who i envisioned reading it a couple of years before it went into production. I'd have gone for Pruit Taylor Vince over Billy Bob (although he was very good in it). Haven't read this book but was hoping Smith might have delivered again. Sounds promising, will definitely see.
Plant! by Catnip_Thieves	Apr 3rd, 2008 06:12:49 AM
As in, there are a lot of plants in this movie. Nice review, Quint - the trailer for this actually made it look vaguely worthwhile.
Darius Khondji by Fuckles	Apr 3rd, 2008 06:13:05 AM
When I read that he was the DP for The Ruins I figured he was just doing it for the check. It just seemed strange to go from shooting Haneke's "Funny Games" remake to this (at least it seemed strange to me). Thanks, Capone. I'm kind of interested now . . .
Actually looking forward to this one... by BanAllFIRSTPosters	Apr 3rd, 2008 06:16:34 AM
Jena Malone! Yowza! She hasn't been in enough movies.
Scott Smith also wrote A Simple Plan by cowboyone	Apr 3rd, 2008 06:22:19 AM
The Ruins (the book anyway) was incredible.
Khondji is the DP? by DerLanghaarige	Apr 3rd, 2008 06:30:09 AM
Okay, so I guess there won't be any shaky cam or shit like that.
That sounds good. by travis-dane	Apr 3rd, 2008 06:30:12 AM
I hope Capone is right.
TURISTAS........GO HOME by Gungan Slayer	Apr 3rd, 2008 06:37:50 AM
LOL if you go the Turistas IMDb board page, its fucking hilrious all the people that post there...all these Brazilians who are like pissed off at the movie and shit. Really funny.
making friends by frankin	Apr 3rd, 2008 06:51:58 AM
I just might have to check this movie out. Many friends I met on a millionaire dating site called meetingwealthy think so too. They are successful men and women. We usually talk together.
The book is a padded short story and the characters are all unli by Trazadone	Apr 3rd, 2008 06:59:06 AM
...but I still enjoyed it despite the crappy ending.
by SkinJob69	Apr 3rd, 2008 07:15:59 AM

FRANKIN: TAKE YOUR SPAM POSTS SOMEWHERE ELSE by SkinJob69	Apr 3rd, 2008 07:16:39 AM
Jackass.
Hope this delivers by SkinJob69	Apr 3rd, 2008 07:26:49 AM
Loved the book- I read it after Steven King mentioned it in his Entertainment Weekly column. Think it was his favorite horror novel in '06. Agree with poster above that the story/ character development was a bit thin, but in this type of film (thriller/horror)that doesn't bother me. (and except for rare films like silence of the lambs, it's rare to have big-time character development in this genere). Looked like they got the look right based on the trailer (particularly the temple- looked very much as I imagined while reading the bood), hope they get the rest right as well.
SkinJob69 by Nice Marmot	Apr 3rd, 2008 07:36:12 AM
I was about to say just the opposite, the whole time I read it, I imagined them just being at the top of a big hill. They would have to walk a while before they could look down and see the natives. When I saw the terraced temple, I thought it looked all wrong. It looks like they take 5 steps and BAM, there are are the natives down there. Oh well, it has me interested enough to check it out this weekend. I enjoyed the book but found it a tad bit overrated.
I thought the book was a padded short story too by Laserhead	Apr 3rd, 2008 07:45:12 AM
with characters that were cliches, and the whole thing amounted to an interminable wait for everyone to die. BUT, my main thing with the book was that the evil threat, the "monster" was laughably ridiculous. The plants, they, they can mimic our voices! A silly, silly book.
What was good about the book was that it was.... by FlickaPoo	Apr 3rd, 2008 07:51:05 AM
...basically a B horror flick premise (kids meet at beach...and then the unthinkable happens...), but with interesting characters who think and react like real people...the situation and options are very very limited, so the reader is right there with them every second trying to figure out what the hell to try next. Ultimately the situation they're in is sort of like life...nobody gets out of here alive...how long does it take you to truly realize that? (if ever)...and once you truly realize that sooner or later you're worm food, can you keep it together? In the book the different characters display pretty much the whole range of psychological reactions...an obsessive need to try to control this unimaginable situation to complete denial and delusion....
i wonder by Judge Briggs	Apr 3rd, 2008 07:56:08 AM
what these young actresses say when they have to get nude for a movie... i wonder if they bang the producer or director to get that role... hmm...
does jena get naked or half naked? by Bouncy X	Apr 3rd, 2008 08:10:16 AM
she doesnt seem like the type who would but a boy can dream. plus i've been surprised by other actresses in the past who i never thought would do this. but even if she doesnt get naked, staring at that face for 90mins...no bad can come from this.
Re: Bouncy X by Latchkey_Kid	Apr 3rd, 2008 08:15:30 AM
don't know about this one, but she has been naked before. watch "THE DANGEROUS LIVES OF ALTAR BOYS" perv. i want to see this but i'm the only one of my friends who wants too...
MORE SPOILERS by Nice Marmot	Apr 3rd, 2008 08:29:34 AM
And this might please some, I read that a lot of the mimicking sounds and smells the plants are capable of emitting are left out of the movie. I thought Smith went overboard w/ the sci-fi elements when it is realized that the plants were actaully using the sounds to play the people against one another. And don't get me started on them giving off the smell of everybody's favorite food to drive them crazy. Oooh that smells like apple pie, now I'm even more hungry and miserable! Give me a break . . .
HATED the Ending by Sithdan	Apr 3rd, 2008 08:33:22 AM
I read this book in various airports while traveling a few months ago...It was intense until the ending, which I thought was a real let-down. If the movie mirrors the novel, count me out.
I must be in the minority by 7Cal	Apr 3rd, 2008 08:33:54 AM
I didn't like this book at all. Ugh. It's just drawwwwwwwwn the fuck out, everything about it. The kids get to the hill. The natives block them off. They bitch at each other, whine, while they slowwwwwwly die. They don't ever really go anywhere, come up with a plan, and nothing 'changes' during the story. Realistic, sure, but not something I want to sit through and have to read for 300+ pages. Even the style of the book I didn't like- no chapter breaks and no spacing, it's just one continuous, monotonous stretch of plodding miserable. That said, it would probably work better in a movie format, but I won't be seeing it.
Voice mimicry definitely gone by SkinJob69	Apr 3rd, 2008 08:51:09 AM
Read an article on this while it was in production. Smith thought the voices might be "unintentionally comical".
Another early-20-somethings-in-peril movie? by skimn	Apr 3rd, 2008 08:51:51 AM
From Friday The 13th through Cloverfield, I may find it difficult to sit through another "kids" in peril flick. But I trust that Scott Smith has smartly adapted his book ( sounds like he's batting 2-for-2 so far ). I enjoyed A Simple Plan, and it sounds like he knows how to place his characters in situations and then slowly tighten the vise.
The Ruins is in ruins b/c of this by donwillymo	Apr 3rd, 2008 08:51:54 AM

Plant by Proevad	Apr 3rd, 2008 08:52:32 AM
No serious. It's about a plant.
7cal by Trazadone	Apr 3rd, 2008 08:53:53 AM
I agree with you. I felt like the book was a cheat because each scene was padded to death to get to the punchline. I found myself scanning the pages quickly to get to the main point.
by SkinJob69	Apr 3rd, 2008 08:55:30 AM

Was The Ruins not screened for critics? by SkinJob69	Apr 3rd, 2008 08:56:33 AM
Looks like it. No reviews on rottentomatoes. Worrisome.
Furthermore by Trazadone	Apr 3rd, 2008 09:02:12 AM
The story could have easily been told in 100 pages. Was anyone else as annoyed as I was when that one guy kept making lists of words that start with the same letter?
Yeah, Traz by SkinJob69	Apr 3rd, 2008 09:10:56 AM
but scenes like the hand-job in the tent made up for that :)
Gungan Slayer by Spandau Belly	Apr 3rd, 2008 09:37:25 AM
I went to that 'Turistas' message board on IMDB. People have writen entire essays on global security, oxidenatlism, and many other high brow topics in this message board. It's actually pretty funny. Watch out Syriana, Turistas is on the block!
Hated the book... by TrumpyEatsPotatoes	Apr 3rd, 2008 09:40:09 AM
Given King's endorsement on the cover, I was expecting something good, but the book just annoyed me to no end. Most idiotic "monster" in a long time. "Oooh, the plant's blood is acidic... Wait, haven't I seen that before?" Stupid characters, stupid plot. At least the movie takes place on, you know ruins. The book was a hill. I read that motherfucker front to back looking for ruins and found nothing.
Cell Phone Noise by TrumpyEatsPotatoes	Apr 3rd, 2008 09:47:26 AM
By the time we figured out the plant is making cell phone noises, I was like, "You know what? Give up. If the fucking plant can imitate a cell phone, it's unstoppable." Shoulda brought Seymour Krelborn along to ice that bitch.
Trumpy- I think the title has more than one meaning by SkinJob69	Apr 3rd, 2008 09:49:01 AM
You're only looking at # 1, but consider the story in the light of its other definitions: Ruins: 1. the remains of a building, city, etc., that has been destroyed or that is in disrepair or a state of decay: We visited the ruins of ancient Greece. 5. the complete loss of health, means, position, hope, or the like. 7. the downfall of a person; undoing: the ruin of Oedipus. 8. a person as the wreck of his or her former self; ravaged individual. 9. the act of causing destruction or a downfall. –verb (used with object) 10. to reduce to ruin; devastate. 11. to bring (a person, company, etc.) to financial ruin; bankrupt. 12. to injure (a thing) irretrievably. 13. to induce (a woman) to surrender her virginity; deflower. –verb (used without object) 14. to fall into ruins; fall to pieces. 15. to come to ruin.
The book is massively underrated by Lovecraftfan	Apr 3rd, 2008 09:59:05 AM
I was amazed at the amount of negative feedback this got when it came out. People keep talking about thin or unlikable characters which I dont get at all. The strength of the book was the character developement and the group dynamic. Why do you think that there were endless pages in which you were privy to the characters thoughts. I also thought it was great as a survival novel as well.
Skin... by TrumpyEatsPotatoes	Apr 3rd, 2008 10:04:04 AM
Fair enough. But I don't think that the book itself is clever enough to warrant a title that is open to interpretation. Obviously neither did the studio--hence the relocation to an actual temple ruin. The Ruins--like Speed, except on a Hill with Plants instead on a Bus with a Bomb.
The problem with the book is it takes the premise too far by bullet3	Apr 3rd, 2008 10:06:04 AM
SPOILERS The concept of killer plants is very interesting, and for the beginning of the book its done very interestingly and creepily, but the moment the plants started imitating the teens to turn them against each other it went way too far. It was just an out of nowhere fantastical leap that makes no sense in any logical sort of way(how the fuck do plants vocalize? And how do they know what EXACTLY to say to piss the kids off?), and it really took me out of the book. That, and it really did need some trimming. Coulda been told in 100-125 pages.
Would it kill you guys to read a style guide? by Thick McRunFast	Apr 3rd, 2008 10:20:31 AM
Movie titles are in italics.
I didn't like the book either. by Christopher3	Apr 3rd, 2008 10:42:37 AM
Ironically, I thought that the only potentially scary moments were supplied by the plant's vocal mimicry. Maybe the film will be an improvement on the source.
Hated the Book by BoggyCreekBeast	Apr 3rd, 2008 10:48:05 AM
I kept going and going, turning pages, expecting it to "kick in" any YEAR... and I finally tossed the time-waster.
The book was ok by Hai Keeba	Apr 3rd, 2008 11:06:41 AM
But it seemed to me like it was a short story stretched out to book size. Stephen King has a record of giving glowing endorsements for mediocre material
a ahole's thoughts... by mr ahole ramirez	Apr 3rd, 2008 11:06:48 AM
...I read the entry in the wiki a few weeks back...um...not really sure what to think...SPOILER COMMENT...I wonder if the plant thing would outdo the last scene in The Fountain wit Jackman gettin "planeted" inside out..
I'm seeing it tonight. by Novaman5000	Apr 3rd, 2008 12:04:32 PM
We shall see.
Are AICN's Reviewers for sale? by Pariah74	Apr 3rd, 2008 12:27:35 PM
I surprisingly say, "Yes!"
What I liked most about the trailer by Series7	Apr 3rd, 2008 12:34:55 PM
Was that at first I thought it was one of those elaborate commercials they do for books. You know like they do for every James Patterson novel that comes out. After I saw the trailer I was like, hey I want to read that book, why is it rated R? OHHH wait that was a movie preview.
The book was fucking awful... by milla jovovich	Apr 3rd, 2008 12:55:40 PM
Smith name-drops Ben Stiller in the acknowledgments. He obviously said to himself "fuck, I'm running out of money. The Simple Plan royalty checks are petering out. I know! I'll write a crappy teen horror film disguised as a novel! I'm Scott Smith! I wrote A Simple Plan! Someone'll want to option it..." The characters all sucked. There's a reason there aren't any female characters in A Simple Plan, Smith can't write them. He leaves his ends loose. He telegraphs all of his deaths. The vine is goofy, not scary. It's an airport paperback tripe.
"Ugly Gorilla" by TheBloop	Apr 3rd, 2008 12:57:55 PM
Yeah, but can it top "Congo" for pure jungle terror? I sure the fuck hope so. Oh yeah, the two actresses is this are hot, I'd fuck the hell out of them, and they would like it.
"Likable characters" by Laserhead	Apr 3rd, 2008 01:14:54 PM
Characters don't ever need to be likable, or sympathetic. They need to be INTERESTING, which not one of the characters in 'The Ruins' was. It was a silly, ridiculous book, with a ridiculous 'menace'-- the plant makes it smell like apple pie! The plant's making it sound like my girlfriend is fucking someone else! The horror!
What!? No one ruins The Ruins by donwillymo	Apr 3rd, 2008 01:23:42 PM

I hated the book also. Enough to keep me out of theaters. by The Skeptical	Apr 3rd, 2008 01:23:57 PM
I read it after a positive review here on AICN, when the news of the movie first came out. The book sucked. I'm not much of a writer, but I never would have published such an unpolished meandering tome. The first third was okay, the second was pretty bad, the last third was just lousy. I disliked all the characters--who had no development anyway. There was no suspense past the first act. The sci-fi elements were ridiculous. I was partly fooled by Stephen King's endorsement. He said--and I quote--"The best horror novel of the new century." But all I can conclude is that King feels bad for never finishing his own carnivorous plant series, so he foisted this on his unsuspecting constant readers.
Won't ruin it??? by jccalhoun	Apr 3rd, 2008 01:31:23 PM
I'm sure many of you know what the true danger in The Ruins is, but I'm not going to be the one who spoils it for you if you don't. Unless something else is the true danger I don't think that anyone who has seen a trailer doesn't know what the true danger is.
I'm all for full disclosure of a critics preferences... by Fist Dirtbox	Apr 3rd, 2008 01:35:18 PM
but the inference I got was that Capone doesn't like horror movies. And as a lifelong horror fan one thing that really sets alarm bells ringing is a horror movie that appeals to people who normally don't like horror movies. So, color me doubtful, this sounds like another high-concept piece tailored for maximum market crossover.
THE thing about the book: by DavidDunn	Apr 3rd, 2008 01:39:15 PM
is that it leaves a bad taste in your mouth when you finish it. When i read it I wanted it to scare the shit out of me. Though it didnt do that, it left me with an uneasy feeling which I think makes it succesful. Through the whole thing you know deep inside that the inevitable is coming so why keep reading? because you want to see at least one of these poor fucks make it out of this horrific situation. you just want there to be a hero but you know that there wont be and you watch them all slowly die a physically and mentally painful death. pretty cool, i thought.
The only scary thing about the book... by milla jovovich	Apr 3rd, 2008 01:41:23 PM
SPOILER... was when Eric cut most of his skin off trying to find the vine inside of him. But that was it. The rest was just gross, and that doesn't cut it.
Surprised by the trailer... by trent82	Apr 3rd, 2008 02:51:12 PM
I read the book at the end of last summer after it was mentioned in a couple magazines. Certainly wasn't my favorite book or anything, but it was pretty effective. It didn't scare me, but it definitely creeped me out, with the creepiest parts having nothing to do with blood or guts or that crap. I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll stop there. While reading it I knew that it'd be a story that could very easily turned into a terrible, SciFi Channel crapfest. But I was pleasantly surprised by who was cast and the fact that what little CGI is visible didn't seem poor or cheesy. I'm hoping for the best.
I stopped reading the book at killer vines by SoylentMean	Apr 3rd, 2008 03:31:38 PM
It just wasn't all that scary. Weird. But not scary. However, there was a really good article in the current Fangoria (replete with some nice gore photos) that piqued my interest in the movie. I'm seeing the movie tomorrow and, if it doesn't suck, I'll give the book another shot. Get out and support Horror films (especially when they get a wide release) so maybe H-Wood will make more.
Why'd they make a movie about diarrhea? by yourstupid	Apr 3rd, 2008 03:33:17 PM
....ohhhhh....THE RUINS....I get it now.
I keep reading the title as "The Runs" and wondering... by finky089	Apr 3rd, 2008 03:45:11 PM
why'd they make a movie about diahrrea? Must be one BAD horror film...
Oh, goddamnit, yourstupid! by finky089	Apr 3rd, 2008 03:46:10 PM
ha ha - it ain't the first or last time something like that's happened on AICN. Cheers!
tried reading the book ... by Toe Jam	Apr 3rd, 2008 03:49:53 PM
only made it about 100 pages in. then i got the audiobook at the library for a road trip and tried to pick up where i left off in the book. only made it about halfway through the entire thing. i wanted to like it, but it just didn't happen. the lack of chapters or any breaks at all in the book also annoyed me to no end. might check out the movie at a $5 matinee, though.
was i the only one disappointed by "a simple plan"? by Toe Jam	Apr 3rd, 2008 03:55:28 PM
it was good, but not nearly as great as the book. smith totally cut out the best part of the book -- the part near the end, where the main character realizes he has to go back to the liquor store to retrieve the $100 bill (or was it $50?). i won't ruin it for anyone who hasn't read the book, even though it's been some 10 years since it was published, but do yourself a favor and check out the novel. one of the best reads i've ever had. my guess is that including that part in the film would have made the main character just totally unsympathetic and unforgivable.
This movie looks too "gross-out" by GibsonUSA	Apr 3rd, 2008 03:57:13 PM
"Why cant you look at me??"....and you see this wiggling thing. I hate that type of "eewwwwww!" type movie, not because I am scared (I watched that crap throughout childhood), but I'm tired of it. Why pay $10 a ticket to get grossed out?...to watch stuff bursting, oozing out, that kind of crap?
food for thought by ectocriminal	Apr 3rd, 2008 07:16:59 PM
"Any reviewer who expresses rage and loathing for a novel is preposterous. He or she is like a person who has put on full armor and attacked a hot fudge sundae." -Kurt Vonnegut
X-Files Pioneered by topaz4206	Apr 3rd, 2008 11:51:38 PM
the whole "worms right under the dermis" bit, and pretty damn well for the technology available at the time.
Really? OK by kirttrik	Apr 3rd, 2008 11:58:09 PM
I quess I might see it...but really? It's good?

Talkbacks

Is THE RUINS any good? Capone surprisingly says yes!

User login

Quick Talkback

Talkbacks