One of the most talked-about independent features to come out this year is Ready or Not. This black comedy turned horror film has been championed by almost everyone who has seen it, applauding its wit, brutality, and fun.
If you’ve seen the film, you most likely agree with everyone who’s seen it. More than that, maybe you’re looking for a similar movie to follow up the madness of that game night from hell. If so, then the following ten movies offer a similar blend of humor, macabre, and sportsmanship that you’re craving.
If you love your horror movies mixed in with dark humor throughout, Ready Or Not is not the only film that will meet your needs. There’s plenty more where that came from with these films that should be next on your list.
Would You Rather
Much like Ready Or Not, Would You Rather is a game-based horror movie with dire consequences for everyone involved. Starring Brittany Snow as Iris, Iris is invited to a mansion by an incredibly wealthy man to have the opportunity to play a game that could earn her a large sum of money.
She needs this money to help with her brother’s medical bills, so she goes, only to learn the game itself will only have one winner and the other guests will have met their deadly fate before the night’s end. It has its comedic relief moments as well as some gruesome deaths. What more could you want?
Knives Out
Another hit from 2019, Knives Out had serious star power going into it that drew audiences in. But it was its murder mystery plot that kept audiences enthralled.
The performances by Chris Evans, Daniel Craig, and Ana de Armas as Marta were nothing short of perfection. But it was the classic whodunnit of the film that had us guessing all throughout.
Just like Ready Or Not, it seamlessly mixes dark humor with murder and will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
Truth Or Dare
Blumhouse’s Truth Or Dare came out in 2018 and was the teen horror movie we had been missing for some time. It also has the key element of the chaos ensuing after a simple game is played – much like Ready Or Not – by the vacationing college students.
The game takes on a life of its own when they return from their trip and they have to continue to play truth or dare or else they will face a deadly consequence. It’s brutal and at times even cringe-worthy with the dares they must complete, but it is a fun horror movie you won’t want to miss.
You’re Next
Another independent horror sensation that perfectly mixes the macabre with witty dark comedy? Yes, please. And that is exactly why You’re Next has become a cult classic horror film since its initial release in 2011.
We have a badass female heroine who takes on murderous intruders during a home invasion at her boyfriend’s parents’ home. We also have clever dark humor all throughout all while getting violent slasher-flick-worthy death scenes. For horror movie fans everywhere, this is not one you want to sleep on.
Funny Games
This American remake of the Austrian film by the same name was a psychological thriller that left its mark on audiences everywhere when it came out in 2007. Starring Michael Pitt as one half of a young and articulate serial killer duo, the movie focuses on them terrorizing a young family in their vacation home.
They play sadistic “games” with this family, much to their own amusement. It is meant to be a take, too, on the way violence is portrayed in the media. And as disturbing as it was, it was also highly entertaining and a great film for horror movie fans to partake in.
Clue
If you want to keep the board game momentum going, perhaps Clue is your best option. No other movie has brought a board game to life better than this cult classic. Lead by an all-star cast including Tim Curry, Madelin Kahn, and Christopher Lloyd, this is a perfect blend of humor and murder that you might be looking for.
The idea behind a film adaption of a board game might sound awful, but if you have never seen this movie you’re missing out. It is hilarious, offers multiple endings for you to pick, and is just a blast to watch. It shouldn’t work, but somehow Clue succeeds on nearly every level.
The House of The Devil
Ready or Not channeled some excellent final girl tropes that ran rampant during the era of 80s horror. If any era was in fashion today, it’s the 80s. From Stranger Things to It, the 80s and horror are at an all-time high. One of the best films to continue the tradition of this era in horror has to be House of the Devil.
One of the scariest films to come out in recent memory, House of the Devil bring that bit of satanic panic to the forefront that was sidelined as a gag in Ready or Not. It is incredibly self-aware in the tropes that it’s playing with but respects them in treating the film as a serious piece of horror. Jocelin Donahue is a perfect lead, both heroic and sympathetic. Don’t watch this one alone.
Get Out
If you haven’t seen Get Out, then what in god’s name are you doing with your life? The film takes a similar approach as Ready or Not, showing a newcomer trying to blend in with their significant other’s family. But like Ready or Not, this family has a big cult-like secret.
Both films take a comedic approach to their horror, playing with the awkward moments that come with family gatherings. But Get Out is playing with a far different set of themes than Ready or Not, offering a fresh take on a similar premise.
Villains
Villains is actually still in theaters in many cities and is certainly worth the price of admission. Starring a small four-person cast consisting of Bill Skarsgård, Maika Monroe, Jeffrey Donovan, and Kyra Sedgwick, this tiny black comedy is full of awkward laughs and bonkers thrills. Skarsgård and Monroe play a Bonnie and Clyde like duo on the run from their last big robbery. After breaking into a home to steal the owner’s car, they find an even stranger couple, played by Donovan and Sedgwick, inside.
What follows is an insane mix of home invasion, abduction, drug use, and torture that is still somehow a total blast to watch. It has a sharp tone similar to Ready or Not but tackles a completely different set of tropes in the horror genre.
Rosemary’s Baby
Conspiracy, satanism, and marital betrayal are all aspects crucial to the story in Ready or Not. They are equally present in the classic horror and psychological thriller Rosemary’s Baby. This icon in the genre is one of the greatest genre films ever made, with witty writing, measured performances, and a definite pace that leads to a shocking but inevitable conclusion.
Sadly, what happens to Rosemary is far more tragic than Grace. As opposed to getting revenge on those who entrap her into their satanic cult, Rosemary falls to their plans. It is a haunting and tragic film that is a much watch for any fan of cinema.
Hot Fuzz
There’s something about cults and comedy that go hand in hand. While Ready or Not’s cult deals in good old fashioned satanic worship, the cult in Hot Fuzz is only concerned with keeping their village nice and proper. Arguably the best film of Edgar Wright’s Cornetto Trilogy, Hot Fuzz is a comedic action film that mixes in with the English tradition of folk horror.
With its fast-paced editing, sharp humor, and goofy premise, Hot Fuzz is one of the best dark comedies ever made. It knows exactly what it is, embracing the full scope of its ridiculous premise. That being said, it takes itself seriously in its filmmaking, with excellent acting, editing, and sound design.
The Invitation
The Invitation might not be the most fun you’ll have watching a movie, but it is an excellently tense drama about a similar cult-driven get-together. The film focuses on a group of friends and ex-lovers who host a dinner party long after a shared tragedy. The awkward blend of unspoken trauma and emotions is tense enough, but soon the hosts divulge that they have joined a less orthodox belief system.
What follows is a slow burn reveal that no one at the party is safe, and perhaps no one in the city is safe either. It is a superbly acted drama with a powerful sense of dread. This feels like the complete opposite take on cult storytelling when compared to Ready or Not, which would make them both ane excellent double feature.
Hush
From the creator of Haunting of Hill House, Hush is one of the best home invasion thrillers on streaming. A deaf writer locks herself away in a remote cabin, only to be unknowingly hunted by a home invader. The use of sound is used both to raise the thrills, but also in embracing a slightly comedic tone. Hush is a perfect blend of both horror and humor, that has an excellent final girl right at its center. The gimmick of having a deaf protagonist might seem cheap to some, but it benefits the film to stand apart from others in the genre, inventing a new way to amp up the scares and the laughs.
Cabin In The Woods
Both Ready or Not and The Cabin in the Woods deal with a deadline of a demonic threat if a sacrifice isn’t made. They also combine humor and horror to create visceral pieces of horror storytelling for a wide audience. Cabin in the Woods takes the premise surrounding many classic films such as Evil Dead, and flips it on its head. The film knows its horror cinema much in the same way Ready or Not does, and chooses to both make an homage to it and make fun of it.
Game Night
A game night gone wrong? That sounds a bit familiar. The premise of 2018’s Game Night results in one of the best comedies of last year. Led by an excellent cast, this film ebraces its board game theme and pushes it to the next level. Surprisingly, the film handles a lot of the same thematic elements as Ready or Not when it comes to relationships and family. Both show the best of both sides of the romantic and familial spectrum, but with the backdrop of a fun and gimmicky premise.
