Writer/director Stevan Mena made his feature debut with the 2003 film Malevolence. After making Brutal Massacre: A Comedy in 2007, Mena gave us a Malevolence prequel called Bereavement in 2010. In 2016, the third chapter in the series, Malevolence 3: Killer, had to be cancelled in the midst of production due to the death of lead actor Scott Decker. Over the next two years, Mena has found a way to complete the film, and it made its way out into the world in 2018. Now, our friends at Bloody Disgusting report that Mena’s fifth feature film, The Ruse, will be available for rental and purchase on VOD beginning Tuesday, August 14. You can watch the trailer in the embed above.
Described as a chilling whodunnit that keeps audiences on edge until the final frame, The Ruse follows Dale, a home health care worker sent to a remote seaside home after her predecessor mysteriously vanishes. Upon arrival, Dale finds herself caught in a web of chaos—faced with an uncooperative patient, strange neighbors, and increasingly terrifying supernatural events. Is the house haunted, or is there something even more sinister at play? As tensions rise and trust erodes, Dale begins to fear for her own life—and for the safety of the patient in her care.
Madelyn Dundon (Getting Grace) stars as Dale as is joined in the cast by Veronica Cartwright (Alien), Michael Steger (The Chosen), Drew Moerlein (Bloodline Killer), Vincent Butta (The Breakup Artist), T.C. Carter (Assassination Nation), Kayleigh Ruller (Secrets in the Desert), Janet Lopez (Space Sharks), Heather Drew (A Place in Hell), Ralph Ayala (I Care a Lot), Bill Sorice (Discontinued), Michael Bakkensen (Notice to Quit), Robertson Michaud (The Blacklist), visual effects artist Vincent MacTiernan, and newcomers Nicola Jeanette Silber, Benjamin Breadmore, and Nicholas Nadeau.
Are you a fan of Stevan Mena, and are you glad to hear that he has a new movie coming to VOD this month? Take a look at the trailer, then share your thoughts on The Ruse by leaving a comment below. Here’s a poster to check out while you’re scrolling down:
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