Nerds That Geek Movie Review: 'Ruin Me'

Written by Scott Edwards

I cannot figure out how Escape Rooms became a thing, but I am happy that they have taken off over the past couple of years. While I always ‘die’ in these events, mainly because my mind does not work the way the creatures do, I am good at finding things that are out of place to pass on to the group. This really can be one of those great group bonding things that friends, or co-workers should have to do at least once, just to show that they can all be on the same page. Taking one for the team is not overall a bad thing as I have found out over the years, because sometimes it is necessary to sacrifice the one to save the lot.

Arriving at what appears to be an abandoned gas station, couple Alex and Nathan are greeted by some fellow contestants of the Slasher Sleepout. With Pitch and Marina being experts at Escape Room challenges, they are ready to put everything they have got towards winning this one as well. Seeing his fellow contestants moving in, Larry is happy to introduce himself as well as the ultimate horror movie fan, and Tim rolls in late and just in time to be greeted by the host of the show. With the rules being laid out that the contestants can bring nothing of their own on this horror experience, Nathan makes sure that his lady does not forget her pills.

Getting hoods put over their heads, the group is dropped off in the middle of nowhere and Pitch does what he does best, search for clues. Digging through a trashcan and finding their supplies for the daily hike, the group also stumbles upon the storyline of what horror movie trope they are playing to, an insane inmate who has escaped. With their new gear, Alex stumbles upon the first clue and is able to figure it out before everyone else, causing Pitch to get upset, but the group moves on. Making their way deep into the woods in the dark, the group finds out that they are not alone as a group of masked slashers chases them to their final destination for the night.

Gathering around the already lit fire and talking about their favorite horror movies, Alex comes clean and admits that she is not really a fan of the movies, but a fan of Nathan. Trying to get a little something going on in the tent, Alex hears a little rustling in the woods and the group is visited by their first crazy character. Knowing it is just a game, the group is shocked when they see the old man take a slice out of Nathan. After the old man retreats back into the woods, the group goes to sleep only to wake up and see that they have another puzzle to solve, but that is not the only thing, as Tim has gone missing. With a new clue at hand, Alex shows that she is built for this challenge, but seeing a dead body that was not there before, well that is only the beginning of the nightmare that Alex will have to deal with when trying to survive the Slasher Sleepout challenge.

This is actually a fun little riff on the slasher movie genre; it even makes me want to play the game if someone is willing to join. With the game taking a change and really focusing on the mental stability of Alex, it is a surprise that she is able to keep it together as long as she does. I really liked how Alex responded to the different challenges, especially when she is faced with a person from her past and is forced to make a choice between her past love and her new one. With a game full of clues, a contestant’s dead body, no trace of blood, a creepy old man, a knife, a hammer, a compass, a group of slashers and a drive to win the game to save a life, this movie might not scare you overall, but it will make you remember that sometimes the truth is actually a good thing. Stay Scared.

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