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While vacationing in Mexico, a group of naïve friends (Jena Malone, Jonathan Tucker, Shawn Ashmore, Laura Ramsey) follows a German stranger into the site of a forbidden archeological dig. There, they discover beautiful scenery … and locals who trap them on the Mayan ruins, which is infested with vines that have a flair for making noises, lashing out at random and digging their way under the skin of attractive 20-somethings.

Big question: Can writer Scott B. Smith, adapting his novel, really make this story scary on screen?

Skip it: At least the killer plant in “Little Shop of Horrors” could talk, but “The Ruins” just crawls along while its characters wait around to die and the vines slowly invade their personal space. The movie gratuitously and believably mines each cut and drop of blood for maximum discomfort, which is typically unpleasant to watch but, at least, done in the spirit of kids fighting off death rather than being tortured for viewers' enjoyment.

Catch it: To witness the foolish optimism of Jeff (Tucker), who clearly hasn’t seen any horror movies or, um, watched the news, and declares without irony, “Four Americans on vacation don’t just disappear!”

Bottom line: When pretty flowers scream to imitate a cell phone ring tone it’s funny, not scary, so “The Ruins” doesn’t achieve squat as a horror movie. It’s an OK survival story though, since the stars, playing inevitable victims that you’ll semi-care about, possess something that’s become less and less integral to the genre: acting ability.

Bonus: When the trapped pals can’t decide whether or not to use a home amputation kit (rock, knife, liquor) to operate on their German friend, Eric (Ashmore) proposes, “Raise your hand if you want to cut off his legs.” Democracy at its finest!

What do you think of 'The Ruins'? Email me: mpais@tribune.com

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