Ready or Not 2: Here I Come

Ready or Not is a horror film that most people seem to enjoy. I, unfortunately, am not one of those people. Because, while I can get over how absolutely ridiculous the premise is, I can’t get over how thin the story and the characters actually are. And it pains me to say that I feel the exact same way about the sequel. 

In this new film, Grace discovers that she must continue playing the deadly game that began with the Le Domas family. This time, however, she has her estranged sister, Faith, by her side. Together, the two must outrun four rival families that are competing for a powerful throne. 

Now, what I do like about this sequel, is that it immediately addresses a major issue that I have with the first film. Because, by introducing her sister, we immediately get to learn more about Grace as a character. Granted, we don’t get to learn much about her, but that’s still a hell of a lot more than what we got in the original film. 

Sure, it’s easy to root for Grace given the situation that she finds herself in, but I still like learning a thing or two about the characters that I’m rooting for. So I’m happy that Grace feels a bit more fleshed out here. It’s just unfortunate that the little development that she is given comes in a bit too late for my taste. It’s just hard to take her development seriously when intense moments of horror are always happening to her.

Still, Samara Weaving does a great job of carrying the film again, and she has excellent chemistry with newcomer Kathryn Newton. The two actresses seem to be having a lot of fun here, which helps in making for an entertaining feature. And, since the film is built around the relationship between Grace and Faith, their dynamic is an undeniably important one.

Weaving and Newton also have a solid cast to bounce off of - including names like Sarah Michelle Gellar, Elijah Wood, Kevin Durand, and more. Unfortunately, the ensemble cast doesn't have very much to do here. So the performances, as fun as they may be, aren't enough to elevate the material here. Which is a real shame.

Radio Silence is a fun directing group. I may not be a fan of the original Ready or Not, but I did enjoy their work on Scream (2022), and I especially liked their last feature film, Abigail. So, despite having some reservations about it, I went into Ready or Not 2 with an open mind. But an open mind can only do so much.

With how little is actually introduced here, I think the film fails to justify its own existence. Which means that, while the addition of a few new cast members may be fun, this is a sequel that feels largely unnecessary. But I seem to be in the minority with these films.

So, if you're a fan of the first Ready or Not, then you may find this to be an entertaining sequel with enough material to make for a satisfying narrative. But, as someone who actually didn't care for the first movie, I have to admit that I didn't like this one either.

I don't mind the silly premise, the fun performances, or the darkly comedic tone, but the story, the characters, and the themes are still too thin for my own personal taste.

Yes, much like the original film, this movie has nothing more to say beyond "eat the rich." Which, to be fair, is a sentiment that I'm all for - especially since real world elitists seem to be far worse than the horrible characters that are featured in this film. But, given how common this theme has become lately, I really wish that both movies had something more going on beneath the surface.

Which means that Ready or Not 2: Here I Come would, unfortunately, not get a recommendation from me.