An interesting outlier concept in the horror and thriller genres has been stories revolving around a hospice aide’s terrifying encounters while caring for a patient. This story has been used with a variety of results, ranging from the hoodoo-inspired Skeleton Keyending to the recently released Irish folklore-based Fréwaka. With The Ruse, writer-director Stevan Mena aims to go for a more grounded and slow-burning thriller, but unfortunately, it lacks any kind of burn or tension.