Destrua-Me

I wasn't expecting much of this movie - I didn't know much about the actors or anyone else involved in making the film and to be honest I wasn't sure I'd bother to finish watching it at the beginning of the movie, but it did grab my attention pretty early and kept it right to the end. Not going to give anything away but there are some interesting twists. Overall, I found it quite good. Watch it. :)

Ruin Me is a slasher from first-time director Preston DeFrancis. The plot follows a strangely small group attending a Slasher Sleepout camping trip, where they will be competing to survive the weekend in the "ultimate horror movie experience." Roped into this outing is Alexandra: the reluctant girlfriend of an Old Navy mannequin (Nathan).

Despite the interesting synopsis, Ruin Me suffers many flaws. Most prevalent being its remarkably odious characters. Every single person in this movie is petulant, hostile, and/or just plain stupid. Dialogue is one-dimensional and cringe worthy at times, often trying too hard to be edgy. Normally I'd overlook that in a b-movie, but character development was a significant focus here. All this is harder to swallow when nobody is sympathetic.

Initially I couldn't stand this movie, as the first twenty minutes had me wanting everyone gutted ASAP. I became more engaged halfway through, but the plot quickly becomes predictable. Which is why I think they decided to jump the shark in the last act. You can overlook some inconsistencies with low-budget horror, but sometimes a director just does way too much in an effort to shock. Unfortunately, Ruin Me becomes mediocre and incredibly convoluted.

No so much "horror" as just interesting (and sometimes fun) to watch unfold.

Pros: The premise was great! Paid homage a few classics. The best part of this film was the uncertainty... the protagonist reaches a point where she doesn't know what's real anymore... and neither does the audience!

Cons: Somewhat predictable at times. Subpar and unimpressive acting (all around) Relied a little to heavily on the score and jump scares.

Overall... as the title of this review suggests... this was a fun horror film.

Given it 5 stars out of 10 for it's attempt at something a little different from the norm, also given the obvious low budget, the film does not look cheap and the actors were decent enough.

There is another older movie in the name of 'April Fools Day' a 1986 film which is similar in some ways to this one, but does it a whole lot better!

While in no way ground breaking, this outdoor escape room movie is an entertaining watch. The acting is decent, though I suspect that's because the actors were told to "act themselves". The mystery isn't too hard to figure out, though they put a few unexplained red herrings in to keep thing interesting. The cinematography and sound were professional, as was the direction.

Five stars for a film worth seeing made on a limited budget. The only real weakness was the lead actress, who wasn't strong enough to carry the film. And the film was all about the lead actress. A better performance would have gotten this a seven. As it was, five stars.