DVD Review: “The Ruins (Unrated)”

Four college students vacationing in Mexico are led to some ancient Mayan ruins by a German tour guide, only to be trapped there by a group of natives. However, the longer they stay on this plant-covered ruin, the more they realize that they’re not alone. I don’t want to spoil things, but I will say that much of your mileage from this movie will depend on how well you can accept the main villain. Personally, I thought it was pretty ridiculous and not all that scary. That aside, while this movie includes its requisite disgusting moments, it does take a stab at psychological horror, as the four start turning on each other when conditions deteriorate. The one fatal hinderance is that I don’t care about the characters at all, since they are all paper-thin and disposable. The actors do a fine job with what little they’re given, but they can only do so much. On the technical side, the special effects are squirm-inducing, the scenery is beautiful and the photography is very nice. Special features include several behind-the-scenes featurettes, 3 deleted scenes, a commentary track by the director and an alternate ending (which makes less sense than the original). A passable, if lackluster, first effort from Mr. Smith.