Ready or Not 2: Here I Come

Ben Pivoz
a few seconds ago
3 min read

A deadly game of hide-and-seek sounds like a very goofy premise for a horror movie. 2018’s Ready or Not turned it into delightfully devilish entertainment. Funny, violent and surprising, it was an unexpectedly fun hit. So, of course, they have now made another one. Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is a similar story, with enough small differences to keep things fairly enjoyable. It is the type of sequel that tweaks its predecessor the tiniest bit, preserving what audiences liked about it without literally making the same thing again. It is kind of close, though.

It sort of expands the world by adding more rules and more families to the game. Then it sends our heroine back on the run, hunted by different people in a larger space that the filmmakers definitely do not take advantage of. They never establish it effectively to the point where it feels like a tangible place. I am sure most viewers will be able to think of way crazier places to stage fights at a massive resort than we get here. However, even with the derivative plot and missed opportunities, the Ready or Not universe contains enough cleverness to get through a second round.

In the original, Grace was forced to play hide-and-seek on her wedding night, with her new family believing they must sacrifice her in the name of their satanic benefactor by sunrise, or they will all die. This follow-up takes place immediately after the bloody climax. Grace passes out and wakes up in the hospital with her estranged sister. They are kidnapped and taken to a resort, where Grace again has to survive the night, this time being hunted by four families vying to control the world. If they fail, that power goes to Grace.

Here I Come (104 minutes, without the end credits) retains the dark humor, getting some quality laughs out of its violent action. The story is overly complicated, despite a lack of added intrigue. That is annoying. Yet the cast has so much fun with it that it hardly matters. Much like last time, Samara Weaving makes for a good protagonist. She is believably tough and straight-faced enough for the jokes to bounce off of her. Here she is joined by Kathryn Newton, who has had success in quirky horror in recent years. Newton, as Grace’s bitter younger sister, can hold her own with a quip. Their relationship is shallow, but their chemistry is strong enough that it works anyway.

Sarah Michelle Gellar and Shawn Hatosy are suitably evil and arrogant as the main villains. The casual way they discuss murdering an innocent stranger is darkly funny. That said, the highlight in the cast is Elijah Wood as The Lawyer, the mysterious figure whose job it is to explain the rules of the game. Wood is so matter of fact as this bizarre man, who is essentially working for Satan, that it makes everything he does fascinating. Even though he mostly just observes and tells the participants how this must go, lest they face the fatal wrath of their benefactor, he is so smugly amused by these selfish idiots that he steals every scene he is in.

It is not as good as the original, trading way too much on the same scenario. Still, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come utilizes the premise entertainingly. The kills are fun and writers/directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (known collectively as Radio Silence) have a few fresh ideas that land well (there is a fight between two blinded people in a ballroom that is quite hilarious). I don’t know if there is anything else to do in this world; however, there was just enough for a decent part 2.

3¼ out of 5

Cast:

Samara Weaving as Grace MacCaullay

Kathryn Newton as Faith MacCaullay

Sarah Michelle Gellar as Ursula Danforth

Shawn Hatosy as Titus Danforth

Elijah Wood as The Lawyer

Screenplay/Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett