In the 2019 a horror film landed that had fans of the genre in raptures. While it wasn’t expected to be one of the big hits of the year the arrival of Ready Or Not had people raving. Finally there was a horror film that had everything – twists, turns, action, gore and a few laughs along the way.
What is surprising is the fact that it has taken 7 years for the next film in the franchise to hit cinemas. But thankfully directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin (Abigail) and Tyler Gillett (Scream VI) have returned back to the franchise that everybody wants to see them working in and delivered a film that is certainly not going to disappoint those that loved the first film.
Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come literally begins where the last film finished. Grace MacCaullay (Samara Weaving – Guns Akimbo) collapses onto the ground having just survived the ‘game’ that saw her new in-laws try to kill her to appease their Dark Lord.
However, when she wakes up in hospital she finds out that things are not exactly how she expected them to be. First of all her sister, Faith (Kathryn Newton – Freaky), is there ready to remind Grace how much she hates her and then she finds herself being hunted by a man she has never met before.
After a short burst of freedom Grace finds herself captured once again. This time she and Faith find themselves trapped on a luxurious estate run by the Danforth family. Here they are told by a mysterious lawyer (Elija Wood – Lord Of The Rings) that are once again prey. This time the game is a little different – the family that kills them will take control of a powerful Order that pretty much gives them all the power in the world.
Desperate to take the mantle that once belonged to their father are twins Titus (Shawn Hatosy – The Faculty) and Ursula Danforth (Sarah Michelle Gellar – I Know What You Did Last Summer) but in order to do so they are going to have to beat all the other families to killing Grace and she certainly is not going to go down without a fight.
The fact that the game in Here I Come mirrors the one in the first one so much leaves me in two minds. On one hand I would have liked to have seen the screenwriters come up with something new and original but on the other hand at least they manage to find new ways to kill characters while still being able to mix horror, comedy and action all together brilliantly well.
One of the most intriguing parts of Here I Come are the characters themselves. No two characters are the same and the writers have even managed to avoid cliches by giving them actual characterisation outside of the particular sets of skills that they may possess as part of the game. Sure some of the characters have been purposefully made annoying, which makes you as an audience member want to see them bumped off by Grace, but at least they are different enough so they don’t all bled in together.
The two most interesting characters when it comes to the villains are certainly Titus and Ursula. While Ursula is conniving and calculating Titus is a pure psychopath. As soon as it is established that Titus will kill anyone that gets in his way that adds to the suspense of the film. Some of his dealings with Faith are particularly violent which not only adds to his character but also has you praying for the moment that he finally comes up against Grace.
Likewise, some of the most memorable scenes here are between Sarah Michelle Gellar and Samara Weaving. The witty lines written for Gellar are reminiscent of what she got to play with during her Buffy The Vampire Slayer days and she absolutely shines when she gets to deliver them.
Of course, what most are wanting to see here though is the horror element of the film. Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett certainly deliver there. The horror aspect of the film is intense and lifted to a whole new level as the pair device new and gory ways to kill off most of the players in the game. The only thing that perhaps lets the film down a little is the over-the-top ending that seems to be mainly played for laughs. It works but true horror fans maybe expecting something very different.
If you enjoyed the first Ready Or Not film then there is a good chance that you are going to love Here I Come. Once again the film mixes genres amazingly well while the acting performances of Weaving, Gellar and Wood are priceless. While it may not be everyone’s cup of tea this is a sequel for the ages.
Synopsis
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come picks up immediately after the original film, with Grace once again dragged into a deadly satanic game after surviving the massacre of the Le Domas family. This time, rival elite bloodlines hunt her and her estranged sister Faith in a brutal battle for power, forcing Grace into another night of violence, betrayal, and blood-soaked survival.
