The Ruins Blu-ray

The Ruins

 (2008)

Horror | Thriller



Bright sun, warm waters and sandy beaches beckon countless tourists every year, particularly young adults seeking inexpensive fun. Enter Amy (Jena Malone) and Stacy (Laura Ramsey), two best friends who bring along their very different boyfriends -- focused med student Jeff (Jonathan Tucker) and free-spirited partier Eric (Shawn Ashmore). As the group's vacation nears its end, they journey into the lush Mexican jungle in hopes of seeing some ancient Mayan ruins. But when they arrive at the magnificent site, an unexpected event drives the frightened travellers to the top of the crumbling stone structure, where they confront hidden deadly horrors and engage in a brutal battle for survival.

For more details about The Ruins on Blu-ray, see The Ruins Blu-ray Review

Starring: Jonathan Tucker, Jena Malone, Shawn Ashmore, Laura Ramsey, Joe Anderson
Director: Carter B. Smith

The Ruins Blu-ray, Video Quality

 


The Ruins entangles Blu-ray with a highly impressive 1080p, VC-1 encoded, 2.35:1 framed transfer. The movie might not be all that great, but this transfer is exceptional. After the movie's initial scare scene, which features deep and excellent black levels, the tone changes and the image becomes one that features a bright overhead shot of a jungle with highly detailed, well-defined, and beautiful greens. The film then switches again to introduce us to our main characters where they are poolside under a bright sun that shows off all the numerous colors and details in every frame. Water beads on and drips from faces of individuals fresh out of the pool and other nice, clean, bright details are always to be seen. In chapter two, when the group arrives in town as they prepare to head to the ruins, amazing detail is again ever-present. Take a look at the yellow pickup truck that serves as a taxi to the location. All of the rust, wear, dings, and dents on it come through with startling realism. Once in the ruins, the fantastic black levels hold up. The film offers a stark contrast between the bright, sunny, well-lit and beautiful top of the temple (where most of the action takes place) and the depths of the interior where darkness and shadows rule the day, generally lit only by torches or lanterns. No matter how the interior is lit, the black levels remain true and creepy, and the tension of each scene located in the interior is multiplied as a result. The stomach-churning gore stands out in excruciating detail. The many gruesome sequences are going to be a treat for gore fiends, and if this transfer is any indication, Blu-ray and 1080p are going to become the horror fan's best friend very soon. Flesh tones are accurate and hold up as such in every lighting condition the movie throws at them. I noted one instance of some serious ghosting around one of the characters atop the ruins around the 27:40 mark. Still, The Ruins is a fine looking disc and is another in the growing list of great looking titles Paramount/DreamWorks has been releasing since their return to the Blu-ray format.

The Ruins Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 


The Ruins gets inside your skin and provides listeners with an appropriately creepy, chilling, and engaging Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack, and this disc sounds just as good as it looks. One of this disc's strengths is its wonderful and nearly constant ambience. The relaxing sounds of the ocean waves and seagulls permeate some of the film's earlier scenes. There is some excellent directionality that is never too over the top, but is rather just the right volume to make the action and environment sound all too real. Once our fodder, I mean stars, arrive in the jungle and at the ruins, atmospherics work overtime to create a palpable sense of incredible realism and tension. It's never too pronounced or phony. It is simply perfect, making us feel like part of the group as they traverse the jungle floor and ascend to their fate atop the temple. The attack sequences offer up a wide array of loud, deep, spooky sounds that include a cacophony of non-human screeches. Dialogue is excellent, from the lowest whispers to the loudest screams and everything in between. The film's score, courtesy of Graeme Revell (The Condemned) never dominates a scene but rather adds to it; the music blends effortlessly into the back channels but remains focused up front and it, like the rest of the soundtrack, is an all-enveloping sonic experience. The Ruins offers listeners a fine soundtrack that works hard to elevate the scares and tension of the movie, and it's probably due as much to this soundtrack as any other aspect of the film that I remained as entertained and engaged as I was in an otherwise tedious picture.

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