'Ruins' delivers by-the-numbers scares on DVD
"The Ruins" (unrated edition): Foreign tourist spots have replaced isolated summer camps as the go-to setting for horror flicks. The latest example of this is "The Ruins," which follows a group of hot young American college students who decide to end their vacation in Mexico with a visit to an ancient Mayan temple. Bad move. The temple is guarded by a supernatural force that delights in torturing (both physically and mentally), then devouring, foolish tourists.
Our unfortunate heroes in this case are best friends Amy and Stacey and their boyfriends, Jeff and Eric. All four come from the same Abercrombie, look-great-in-a-bathing-suit mold that produced the characters in "Hostel" and "Turistas," to name just two recent horror movies that use a similar premise. While lounging at the pool, the group meets an equally good-looking German tourist who tells them about an unknown Mayan site being excavated by his archaeologist brother. Intrigued, the four decide to follow their new German friend to the site.
Once there, of course, terrible things happen. An evil presence inhabits the Mayan temple on the site, and our heroes soon find themselves fighting for their sanity, and then their lives.
"The Ruins" is based on a well-regarded novel by Scott Smith, who also wrote the screenplay. (Smith's other novel is the dark crime thriller "A Simple Plan," which became an excellent Sam Raimi film.) While the basic setup recalls other tourists-in-peril flicks, the supernatural element reminded me of classic Stephen King stories like "The Raft." On that basis, I was looking forward to a better-than-average fright fest.
Unfortunately, "The Ruins" doesn't deliver. The characters never develop beyond horror-film cliches, despite some strong acting by the four leads. And director Carter Smith (no relation to the writer) takes a surprisingly lifeless approach to the material; the story plods along with little atmosphere or tension, and the visuals are generic at best. It's too bad, because Scott Smith's story could have made for an effective horror flick. "The Ruins" arrives on DVD with a nice set of bonus features, including a Carter Smith commentary, deleted scenes and a never-before-seen alternate ending. (NR; Paramount, $29.99)
A look ahead
The fall is usually a good time for DVD releases, and this year appears to be no exception. Here's a rundown of the some of the exciting fall releases that have been announced so far. All dates and content subject to change, of course.
• "The Godfather: The Coppola Restoration": When Paramount first released the "Godfather" films on DVD in 2001, some fans said the video wasn't up to par. On Sept. 23, new versions of the films arrive on DVD, all with improved video. Director Francis Ford Coppola, cinematographer Gordon Willis and noted film restoration expert Robert Harris conducted a frame-by-frame restoration of the first two films and remastered the video of the third. I can't wait to see the results. The films will be available separately or in a five-disc box set that includes lots of new bonus features. This might be an offer no fan can refuse.
• "Risky Business: Deluxe Edition": Has it really been 25 years since "Risky Business" came out? Jeez, I'm old. To celebrate the anniversary, Warner Home Video will release a new edition of this '80s classic on Sept. 16. The DVD will include a new commentary with Tom Cruise (I wonder what he'll say about the underwear-dancing scene), screen tests and a new making-of documentary.
• "Touch of Evil: 50th Anniversary Edition": This is one of the great American crime films of all time, a dizzying masterpiece from Orson Welles. This two-disc set from Universal, due out on Oct. 7, includes three versions of the film (Welles' cut was famously edited by the studio before the film's release in 1958), several audio commentaries and a making-of documentary. If the contents are as good as advertised, this could be one of the best packages of the year.