The Ruins (Unrated Edition) [Blu-ray] (2008)

Actors: Jonathan Tucker, Jena Malone, Laura Ramsey, Shawn Ashmore, Joe Anderson (VI)
Directors: Carter Smith (VII)
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
Language: English, German, Spanish
Subtitles: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Number of discs: 1
Rating: Unrated
Studio: Paramount
DVD Release Date: July 8, 2008
Run Time: 93 minutes
ASIN: B00194XBPW

Whether you consider plants a source of terror or not will ultimately determine how you feel about the grisly horror movie The Ruins, but director Carter Smith and his cast and crew certainly give their all in bringing the chills of Scott Smith's novel to the big screen. Jena Malone (Saved) and Shawn Ashmore (the X-Men franchise) are the name actors in a pair of American couples down Mexico way who are ambushed by hostile Mayans and forced to the top of an ancient temple, where a monstrous and diabolically clever entity awaits them. Director Smith and his talented crew (which includes cinematographer Darius Khondji of Se7en fame and composer Graeme Revell) create a visually impressive spookshow but can't quite deliver genuine suspense (gore, however, is handled capably), and Scott Smith's script boils away much of the character development and mounting terror in his book, which also strands the likeable cast. The movie's monster, so alarming and imaginative in the original novel, is likely to provoke as many laughs as screams from filmgoers, especially when it reveals its unique talent. -- Paul Gaita

Product Description
Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 07/08/2008 Run time: 93 minutes Rating: Unrated