“The Ruins” is a 2008 horror film directed by Carter Smith, based on the novel of the same name by Scott Smith. Here’s a detailed description of the ending, including spoilers:
In the climax of the film, the surviving protagonists—Amy (played by Jena Malone), Jeff (played by Jonathan Tucker), Stacy (played by Laura Ramsey), and Eric (played by Shawn Ashmore)—face a desperate battle for survival against the deadly vines that inhabit the ancient Mayan ruins they have been trapped on.
Throughout the movie, the group of friends ventures into the jungle in search of an archaeological site where Amy’s brother, along with his girlfriend, disappeared. Upon reaching the ruins, they discover that the site is inhabited by carnivorous, sentient vines that trap and consume any living organism that comes into contact with them.
As the vines begin to ensnare and kill members of the group one by one, tension and paranoia mount among the survivors. They attempt to escape the ruins, but their efforts are thwarted by the relentless vines, which seem to be sentient and actively hunting them.
In the final moments of the film, with their options running out and their numbers dwindling, Amy and Jeff concoct a desperate plan to burn the vines using a makeshift Molotov cocktail. They manage to set fire to the vines surrounding the ancient temple, sacrificing themselves in the process to destroy the source of the evil.
The film ends with a grim and ambiguous conclusion, as a rescue helicopter arrives at the site to find only ruins and devastation. The fate of the surviving characters is left uncertain, with the implication that they may have perished in their efforts to destroy the vines.
Overall, the ending of “The Ruins” is a dark and unsettling conclusion to the story, as the protagonists are forced to make a desperate last stand against the malevolent forces that threaten to consume them. Through its blend of horror, suspense, and psychological tension, the film offers audiences a chilling and thought-provoking exploration of the horrors lurking within the ancient ruins of the jungle.