Marxist Analysis of Ready or Not (2019)

Abstract

The 2019 horror comedy Ready or Not addresses the terror when American class oppression turns deadly and unearths the ruthless nature of maintaining prosperity through the family’s game of hide and seek. The cruel, barbaric treatment Grace receives from her new in-laws provides insight on the conditions needed for survival by the working class in modern day America. The film critiques the longstanding concept of the American Dream through the intersectional lens of feminist thought. Through a Marxist analysis, themes of class conflict and alienation emerge as commentary on the harsh nature of capitalism, revealing the dark truth about the “success” of the American bourgeoisie.