Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (Scream; Abigail) — Screenplay by Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy.
Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett’s Ready or Not 2: Here I Come kicks off right where the popular first film left off. Grace (played by Samara Weaving) has just survived a crazy ordeal moments after getting married. Her new family — the Le Domas’, who were secretly satanists — tried to kill her before sunrise, as they believed they would all die if they didn’t. Grace, now in a bloodied wedding dress, survived the night, while her in-laws and her new husband all exploded at dawn for not fulfilling their satanic bargain. But things aren’t over for our bloodsoaked heroine. When she meets up with her sister Faith (played by Kathryn Newton), with whom she hasn’t spoken in years, at a hospital, they’re both incapacitated and taken to the manor of a wealthy and influential family known as the Danforths. The Danforths are one of multiple families with a seat on a council of elite families, who all owe their successes to their supernatural satanic lord known as Le Bail. Because Grace survived the night, the families must compete in another game of diabolical hide-and-seek to determine who will have the ‘high seat’ on the council and, essentially, control the world. To survive, Grace, now alongside her sister, must again overcome the odds and hold out until dawn.
I was a big fan of the first Ready or Not film, which was also directed by the aforementioned directing duo (often referred to as Radio Silence, alongside their producing partners). Radio Silence’s sophomore feature was such an engaging and rewatchable, eat-the-rich comedy-horror flick. I’ve recommended it to friends and acquaintances often over the years, and I always think of it as the film that made me a fan of the directing duo and the film’s leading lady. Samara Weaving revealed herself to be perfectly suited for her instantly iconic ‘final girl’/’scream queen’ role with her effortlessly charismatic performance and her unforgettable guttural scream. To say that she elevated that first film isn’t high enough praise, so let me say that she was as powerful as an awe-inspiring lightning strike that you want to witness. For as much as I liked it, though, every time I’ve rewatched it, the one thing that holds it back somewhat is the look of the film. I am talking specifically of the yellowy color scheme and the murky lighting. It may very well have been a stylistic choice, but I think it takes away from the otherwise extremely entertaining experience of watching it.
Even though I thought a sequel to the first film was completely unnecessary (especially if it was just going to be more of the same), I was hopeful that it could at least improve when it came to the visuals. Now that I’ve seen the sequel and had some days to think about it, I can say that while it is mostly more of the same, there are enough points of difference to make this an interesting enough sequel. On a structural level, it is more than merely similar, but it is in the blending of genres that it, especially in the first act, feels slightly dissimilar. I would say that the sequel takes itself less seriously and deliberately front-loads some slightly silly character types. It was even a little bit overpowering to me, as there are plenty of over-the-top character beats in the first half of the film, and even some stilted supporting performances. It is definitely more playful than the first film, as it, in a John Wick: Chapter 2 kind of way, expands the universe. There’s also a superhero-esque scene where our heroine suits up, which I did enjoy for the tongue-in-cheek way it winks at the audience.
The genre-blend becomes more successful as the film goes along, but it is definitely a more playful approach. The most memorable scenes, other than the interesting way it changes shape but retains intrigue and engagement in the strong third act, are the ones involving 1) an industrial washing machine and 2) a laugh-out-loud hilarious sequence where Grace goes toe-to-toe with her late husband’s ex-fiancée, even though they’re, at one point, both blinded by pepper spray. If you, like me, thought the first film was hindered by the visuals, you’ll be happy to know that this is a significant improvement. There are a couple of similarly yellow-looking scenes, but the color grade is not at all as distracting. I’ll add that this film solidifies Weaving as a horror icon. Seeing Weaving remind us why we loved her performance in the first film is a delight, and Newton is also a strong addition, even though their reunited-sibling-arc felt somewhat forced. Of the supporting cast, which also includes Sarah Michelle Gellar and Shawn Hatosy, the highlight is Elijah Wood, who clearly had a great time as the council lawyer who is, essentially, a game master. He’s fun to watch in this, even though he’s mostly just there to communicate expositional dialogue.
All in all, even though Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett’s Ready or Not 2: Here I Come looked like an unnecessary and thus risky sequel, it is, ultimately, a really good time as a more playful but less fresh comedy-horror continuation. It manages to build on what came before without hurting the excellent horror foundation. It is not without faults, as I have issues with certain performances and the sibling arc, but the fast-paced, tongue-in-cheek approach pairs well with Kathryn Newton and Samara Weaving’s skill sets. I also rather enjoyed the way it took a page from Succession, in a way, by being about how the children of the immoral people who run the world are incompetent, or are, as the aforementioned HBO show put it, “not serious people.”
7.5 out of 10
– Review written by Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen.
I'm Jeffrey Rex 