"B-" Rating by Robert W. Hammerle

While not living up to the intriguing trailers that have been playing for the past several months, "The Ruins" is interesting, horrifying and often visually repellent. While there is a lot about this movie to recommend, I dare say that only the most die-hard horror film fans will be able to watch the last one-third of this movie and resist the urge to frequently cover your eyes.

This movie is a wonderful, bloody mess of a film, and I want to again emphasize the word "bloody." Given that anyone should be shot before giving away the ending, imagine going on spring break with five or six friends and all of you ending up looking like Sissy Spacek at the end of "Carrie" (1976)!

So please be advised that if blood and gore will ruin a film for you no matter how good it otherwise may be, then this clearly will not be your cup of tea. However, while I admittedly find myself growing more squeamish the older I get, the reality is that the suspense and shock of some horror films are enhanced when the character's demise is fully embraced on film as opposed to off camera. This is one of those films.

As most of you probably know by now, the movie deals with three college couples, all naturally attractive, who are on vacation in what appears to be the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula. Nearing the end of their stay and growing increasingly bored with boozing and lying out on the beach, they accept an invitation to visit some remote Mayan pyramid. Informed by some new friends that it has been recently discovered by archaeologists, you know that trouble is waiting down the road. And oh what trouble it turns out to be!

Upon reaching the Temple, our collegiate explorers are suddenly confronted by some menacing, armed jungle dwellers. A confrontation results in violence, and our terrified students are driven up to the top of the Temple to seek refuge. Trapped there, what they find makes "Little Shop of Horrors" (1986) look like a botanist's kindergarten field trip.

In many ways, "The Ruins" reminded me of Neil Marshall's "The Descent" (2006), in that much of the peril is found from our protagonists' descending into a cave. Such settings are obviously ominous in their own right, and what unfolds here is no less scary than the mutant cave dwellers that our female spelunkers stumbled into in "The Descent."

Additionally, this movie is immeasurably helped along by some fine performances from its young cast. While it is probably unfair to single out any one performance, I would be remiss if I did not state that Ms. Jena Malone again proves that she is a fine young actress. I first discovered her in the wonderful biting Christian satire "Saved" (2004), and you should also look for her in small but impressive performances in "Pride and Prejudice" (2005) and "Into the Wild" (2007).

I liked this film despite the fact that I looked away muttering "Oh my God" on several occasions. While not overwhelmed with the actual ending, my Saudi exchange student, "Z," had a rollicking good time. But for those of you who need your heroes to die clean, bloodless deaths, I can only say that you are better off staying away.