By Chris Snellgrove | Published
Randy and his movie nerd crew Shout out 2 it helped instill a good basic idea in moviegoers: the sequel is almost always fun. Of course, the second film in this iconic Slasher franchise was no exception to its rule.
Wes Craven packed a lot of charm and style into this ambitious sequel, but it still fell short of titanic heights. Shout out (1996). In this way, the horror maestro helped reinforce the idea that most horror movies are victims of their own success because nothing will ever top the original.
Deep down, that’s how I felt when I first watched it Right or wrong. From its one scene to its final girl crush to its best running time, this was almost a perfect movie for the audience to scream and laugh.
When I heard that this breakout hit was getting a belated sequel, I was worried that the next movie would be a mess that did nothing but rehash the previous movie’s reputation. Fortunately, I was wrong, too Ready or Not 2: Here I Come serves as almost the perfect entry in the franchise, setting a new gold standard for horror sequels.
The Devil is in the Details
The foundation of Ready or Not 2: Here I Come that a plucky bride (played by Samara Weaving), who barely survived a deadly game of hide-and-seek, is taken by a mysterious, Illuminati-type group. It turns out that all of their families had signed a detailed pact with the devil years ago, which gave them the power to control the world. In turn, the families follow Satan’s laws, which include requirements for human sacrifices.
The bride’s survival means that these families have to compete for first place, and the first one to kill her wins. But with the unexpected help of her sister (Kathryn Newton), she might just win them back.
Ready Or Not 2 Is A Near Perfect Sequel
Why I think Ready or Not 2: Here I Come does it roughly track the previous film? It improves on everything from the original film without changing the essential formula.
In this sequence, we see the same bride in the same dress competing in the same kind of pageant, all while running into the same group of rich psychopaths. In Good or Bad 2 everything is great: the bride has an unknown sister partner. This competition comes with high stakes: namely, control of the world itself. Finally, there are more psychopaths than ever, led by Sarah Michelle Gellar’s ruthless character.
Buffy, The Final Girl Slayer
As you can see from these words, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come it’s filled with a lot of horror icons, and it’s really fun to see genre veterans like Gellar play characters that haven’t changed. Elijah Wood (a fan favorite as an actor) has a devilishly good time as Satan’s Advocate, and steals many scenes with a wordless stare.
Speaking of heist scenes, horror director David Cronenberg makes the most of his limited screen time. Oh, and Kathryn Newton gives her best performance since Lisa Frankensteinto establish i Abigail actress as the girl next door who competes in the Scream Queen title.
Newton can’t yet win this title from Samara Weaving, however, who manages to inject her character with the same vulnerability (and vulnerable violence) that did the original. Right or wrong an instant classic. The sequel fleshes out his character completely helland Weaving ensures that we feel every stirring of the bride’s blood, the stinging pains.
Weaving scenes with Newton electric anger and warm sympathy, perfectly combining the sibling rivalry miles from their collective depths. She’s also the most satisfying final girl of the genre in a jaw-dropping climax that gives the phrase “devil’s in the details” a whole new meaning.
Bold, Bloody Fun
While Ready or Not 2: Here I Come it’s very satisfying as a sequel, and surprisingly accessible to newcomers. I took a friend to the movie who hadn’t seen the original, but secretly, we were both worried that the sequel wouldn’t be responsive to anyone who hadn’t seen the previous film. Luckily, we were both wrong, and you found the movie enjoyable despite only liking the highest horror. This underscores the film’s killer tone: it’s brutal and bracing enough to appeal to die-hard fans while providing enough witty dialogue and twisty plot points to appeal to meat-eaters.
Why are you still reading this? You should have been halfway to the theater. Go check it out Ready or Not 2: Here I Come for a nearly perfect horror sequel filled with powerhouse action, crazy kills, and memorable carnage.
Go see a movie to hear great dialogue, with more than one line that will stick, not rent, in your head. If nothing else, go see the film for a vision that can unite us all and ultimately heal a divided nation: Kathryn Newton. In a tank full of blood. With a sword.
