Watch The Ruins

The Ruins is a horror movie from 2008 that stars Shawn Ashmore, Jena Malone, and Jonathan Tucker. The movie is based on a novel of the same name by Scott Smith. It is directed by Carter Smith and produced by Ben Stiller's Red Hour Productions. Set in the Yucatan Peninsula, the movie follows a group of four American tourists: Jeff (Jonathan Tucker), Amy (Jena Malone), Eric (Shawn Ashmore), and Stacy (Laura Ramsey). They are on vacation in Cancun, but decide to take a day trip to an archaeological site in the middle of the Mexican jungle. There, they come across a Mayan temple that is overgrown with vines and surrounded by a wall.

As they explore the temple, they are confronted by a group of angry Mayan villagers who warn them to leave the area. The Americans ignore their warnings and decide to climb the vines to the top of the temple. Once they reach the top, they are unable to get back down because the vines have become intertwined and are holding them in place. They soon discover that the vines are not normal plants, but are part of a sinister force that is alive and deadly.

The movie is skillfully crafted by director Carter Smith, who creates a suffocating atmosphere that is both claustrophobic and intense. The jungle is lush and dense, and the temple is foreboding and ominous. The actors all give strong performances, with Shawn Ashmore and Jena Malone especially standing out as the couple who are struggling to keep their relationship afloat while they are trapped on top of the temple.

One of the most impressive aspects of The Ruins is the way that it manages to keep the tension high throughout its entire runtime. The movie succeeds in making the audience feel like they are trapped on the temple with the characters, and that there is no escape from the vines that are slowly consuming them. The sense of dread and hopelessness is palpable, and it makes the movie a gripping and intense experience.

In addition to its horror elements, The Ruins also touches on themes of friendship, relationships, and survival. The characters are all flawed and complex, and the movie does a good job of exploring their dynamics and motivations. Each character has a distinct personality and backstory, and it is interesting to see how they all react to the dire situation that they find themselves in.

Overall, The Ruins is a tense and gripping horror movie that succeeds in keeping the audience on edge throughout its entire runtime. The direction is strong, the performances are solid, and the atmosphere is suffocating. It is a must-see for fans of the horror genre.

The Ruins is a 2008 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.9 and a MetaScore of 44.