After jumpstarting the dormant Scream franchise and re-esablishing its presence in the social zeitgeist, Radio Silence, directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, have returned to their humble beginnings with the eagerly anticipated horror sequel Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, a long-awaited follow-up that not only gives fans of the original plenty more to enjoy and sink their teeth into, but delivers another blood-soaked, irreverent blast from the talented duo that continues to showcase their versatility and genre panache.
The sequel picks up mere seconds after the events of the original Ready or Not, re-uniting audiences with Grace (Samara Weaving) after she survived the treacherous and traumatic hide and seek game with her now deceased husband and in-laws. Just when she thinks she’s finally free of harm and bloodshed, she’s thrust into a new game of hide and seek, this time on a larger scale with four rival families vying for a highly coveted throne in a winner takes all event that not only puts Grace in grave danger once again, but her sister Faith (Kathryn Newton) as well. Joining Weaving and Newton is an impressively stacked cast that includes Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, Elijah Wood, Kevin Durand, Nestor Carbonell and David Cronenberg.
The first film was a considerable pleasant surprise that not only felt fresh, but put Radio Silence on everyone’s respective radars. After their run of genre fan favorites like Scream, Scream VI and Abigail, naturally expectations are far higher for this highly anticipated sequel. Fortunately, the directors not only double down on what made the original such an entertaining crowd-pleaser, but expand the lore and mythology in ways that are both exciting and wonderfully surprising. The kills and set pieces feel more confidently staged, retaining the original’s trademark pitch black humor while delivering the chills and thrills fans expect. The direction is more playful, dynamic and propulsive, utilizing the far larger and elegantly adorned playground to its fullest potential. Even more impressive is that they are able to make a larger backdrop feel incredibly claustrophobic, making it feel as if Grace and Faith seemingly have nowhere to hide from their cultish predators. It’s clear as day that Radio Silence is thrilled to be re-visiting this world and these characters for another bloody round and that excitement and passion is highly infectious.
Speaking of Grace and Faith, Weaving and Newton are a match made in heaven as estranged sisters. Weaving made a lasting impression in the original, bringing an emotional magnetism and vicious sense of humor that instantly made her a new genre standout, especially with her now iconic, searing scream that could easily cut glass. Thankfully, Newton is able to meet her on her level as she brings her own singular charm and bite to the material, the two able to bring out the best in one another as they unpack and begin working through the trauma of their past as they deal with the trauma of their present. Their chemistry is off the charts and they’re adept at delivering the laughs without shortchanging the film’s more emotionally potent moments between the two characters. Though her character may not have been mentioned in the original, this sequel does a terrific job not only justifying Faith’s existence, but allowing her to become a welcome new addition to this world.
Speaking of performances, there are some terrific supporting turns from the talented cast. Wood is clearly having the time of his life playing the arbiter of this new game, explaining every rule, clause and loophole with a devilish delight that will remind audiences his talents need to be far better utilized. Gellar and Hatosy are also standouts, the two not only bringing a compelling gravitas, but making the prickly and cold dynamic of their sibling relationship consistently palpable. Hatosy is especially good as he explores the darker nature of his character since he is no longer living in the shadow of his father, a path that not only shapes an entirely new version of himself, but creates more of rift between him and his sister as well as they try to secure what they feel is rightfully theirs. The dichotomy between their sibling dynamic and that of Faith and Grace’s is ceaselessly fascinating as it’s effectively explored throughout.
However, the sequel’s biggest asset is the coupling of Radio Silence’s direction and the script from writers Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy. This sequel, like the original, is able to deftly toe the line between comedy and horror, never veering too heavily into one compared to the other, resulting in an impressively balanced experience that delivers thrills with a tongue-in-cheek genre bite that never blunts the impact of the film’s more intense or visceral moments. This is a follow-up that aims to deliver thrills and scares without taking itself too seriously and is able to do so with effortless ease.
Unfortunately, this sequel does come with some minor diminishing returns. While the screenplay is largely sharp and effective, there are far too many new rules added to this second round of gameplay. Not only does it feel as if the film is throwing far too many new rules, clauses and loopholes at the audience, but it feels like it mainly does so to write itself out of the corners it backs itself into throughout. While some of these new rules make for some needed surprises, especially in the third act, many of them feel superfluous and arbitrary, getting in the way of the fun. Not helping matters is the overabundance of supporting characters. Many of these characters feel like characters from the first film wearing different skins, repeating many of the same beats and personalities from the original. Not only that, but many of these characters feel wholly two-dimensional, coming across far more as thinly written caricatures than actual people.
4 out of 5 stars
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come may not have the fresh, lighting in a bottle feel of the original, but Radio Silence has cooked up plenty of fun for fans eagerly anticipating this sequel. There are plenty of highly entertaining and gruesome kills, lively performances, and visual panache that makes this second installment well worth the wait. This sequel may prove that less is more, but this new game is still absolutely worth playing.
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