The Ruins (2008)

Director:

Carter Smith

Writers (WGA):

Scott B. Smith (screenplay)
Scott B. Smith (novel)

Release Date:

4 April 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Terror has evolved.

Plot:

A group of friends whose leisurely Mexican holiday takes a turn for the worse when they, along with a fellow tourist embark on a remote archaeological dig in the jungle, where something evil lives among the ruins.

Plot Keywords:

Ruins | Cell Phone | Jungle | Corpse | Bow And Arrow

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Jonathan Tucker	...	Jeff
Jena Malone	...	Amy
Laura Ramsey	...	Stacy
Shawn Ashmore	...	Eric
Joe Anderson	...	Mathias
Sergio Calderón	...	Lead Mayan
Jesse Ramirez	...	Mayan Bowman
Balder Moreno	...	Mayan Horseman
Dimitri Baveas	...	Dimitri
Patricio Almeida Rodriguez	...	Taxi Driver
Mario Jurado	...	Mayan Archer
Luis Antonio Ramos	...	Mayan Rifleman (as Luis Ramos)
Walter Quispe	...	Mayan Rifleman
Pauline Whyman	...	Wailing Woman
Nathan Vega	...	Mayan Boy

Also Known As:

As Ruínas (Brazil) (DVD title) (Portugal) [pt]
Las ruinas (Argentina) (DVD title) (Spain) [es]
Les ruines (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Руины (Russia) [ru]
Lanetli topraklar (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Rovine (Italy) [it]
Ruinen (Germany) [de]
Ruiny (Czech Republic) [cs]
Ruiny (Poland) [pl]
Ta ereipia (Greece) [el]
Varemed (Estonia) [et]

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence and gruesome images, language, some sexuality and nudity.

Runtime:

90 min | 93 min (unrated version)

Country:

Australia | USA

Language:

English | Maya | Spanish | German | Greek

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

Ireland:16 | Australia:MA | Netherlands:16 | UK:18 | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Finland:K-18 | USA:R (certificate #44170) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Manitoba/Ontario) | Sweden:15 | South Africa:16LV | Singapore:M18 (cut) | Norway:15 | France:-12 | Italy:VM14 | Germany:16 (f) | Spain:18 | South Korea:18 | Australia:R | Argentina:16 | Portugal:M/16

Filming Locations:

Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

Ben Stiller was involved with this film because he is a friend of novelist / screenwriter Scott B. Smith.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): In the scene where Jeff is cutting Mathias's legs off, Mathias lifts his shoulders and head off the ground yet his back is broken from the fall so he would not be able to do that.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Archeologist #2: Help me!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Ashton Kutcher/Gnarls Barkley (#33.10)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Mexico Mi Amor

The Day of the Triffids with Cabin Fever

Director Eli Roth should take note of and learn from this film. It is what Cabin Fever hoped to be... spooky.

Two twenty-something couples are vacationing in Mexico when they are invited to witness the excavation of some ancient ruins. Instead of fun and excitement, however, the four are held captive at top of the ruins by the locals. But it isn't long before they find they may be in even greater danger. Something cunning, hungry, and green has a taste for human flesh and the four vacationers have rung the dinner bell.

The characters seemed real. The mood was gripping. There were some good scares. I enjoyed it.