Though directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett collectively go by the pseudonym Radio Silence, they’ve been anything but silent in the world of horror over the past several years. Since breaking out with Ready Or Not in 2019, the pair have gone on to helm two films in the Scream franchise and even dabbled in Dracula lore with Abigail in 2024. Now the duo follow up their breakthrough with Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come, a sequel that follows the mold of upping the stakes of its predecessor while attempting to replicate the surprise factor of the original as well. This one succeeds more in the former camp than the latter but with another game cast and bloody fun setpieces, it’s another winner from two filmmakers who simply know how to have a good time within this genre.
We’re reintroduced to Grace (Samara Weaving) moments after her hellish night of hide-and-seek with the devil-worshipping Le Domas family inside their opulent mansion. When she arrives at the hospital, her estranged sister Faith (Kathryn Newton) reluctantly appears as her emergency contact and Grace does her best to explain the insane events of the prior movie. All the while, members of the uber-wealthy cabal known as the High Council are notified of the Le Domas massacre, triggering a mad scramble for power. Grace and Faith are kidnapped and awakened by an unnamed lawyer (Elijah Wood) working on behalf of the demon Le Bail, who informs them of a new “game” that Grace’s survival has now put into motion. Since the “High Seat” of the Council is now vacant, members from the four remaining families must hunt down Grace to claim the top position within the ultra-powerful committee.
On the villain side of things, we spend the most time getting to know the Danforth family, represented by twin siblings Ursula (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Titus (Shawn Hatosy). Though their relationship isn’t quite as complex as the one between the miserable — and miserably rich — step-siblings in the Gellar-starring lark Cruel Intentions, it’s enough to say they don’t see eye-to-eye. Among the other armed-to-the-teeth participants in the deadly play for world domination are bloodthirsty billionaires played by Néstor Carbonell and Olivia Cheng. Their attire isn’t much different from how they would dress for a day of stag hunting or skeet shooting, fashion that could be dubbed “preppy tactical”. It underscores a key difference between Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come and its predecessor, which is the more expansive setting of a vacated mountain resort compared to the confines of the Le Domas manor.
One aspect of Ready Or Not that’s not possible to replicate in this follow-up is the transition of Grace’s character from doe-eyed bride-to-be to shotgun-wielding warrior. The sequel’s stand-in for character development is her strained relationship with Faith, who’s 3 years younger than Grace and resentful of what she perceives as an abandonment years prior. At the commencement of the “game”, the two wake up handcuffed to one another and while they’re on the run from their captors, they begrudgingly make up for lost time, despite the dire circumstances. Faith calls Grace out for marrying into an affluent family just for what Faith perceives as a status bump but Grace says she’s not much better for shacking up with a “finance bro” on the west side of Manhattan. Radio Silence regulars Weaving and Newton are a perfect fit for bickering sisters who have learned to take what’s theirs in a world that hasn’t dealt either of them the best hands.
But when it comes to these two action-heavy horror comedies, the main “hands” that matter are the fisticuffs in the combat between the unwitting “hide-and-seek” participants and their hunters. Like Ready Or Not, this successor features showdowns that make entertaining use out of antiquated weapons and rich folks who aren’t as prepared in close-quarters contact as they should be. The most memorable scenes of conflict this time feature locations like the washing machine area of the resort and the dance floor of an abandoned wedding reception, the latter set to a too-familiar needle drop. Thanks to other eat-the-rich romps like The Menu and Saltburn that its predecessor spawned 7 years ago, Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come doesn’t have the same bite as a satire but still delivers on gory delights.
Score – 3/5
New movies coming this weekend:
Playing in theaters is They Will Kill You, an action comedy starring Zazie Beetz and Tom Felton, about a young housekeeper who takes a job in a New York City high-rise, not realizing she is entering a community that has seen a number of disappearances over the years.
Also coming to theaters is Forbidden Fruits, a horror comedy starring Lili Reinhart and Lola Tung, following a secret witch cult run in the basement of the mall store after hours as their newest member challenges their performative sisterhood.
Streaming on Hulu is Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice, a sci-fi comedy starring Vince Vaughn and James Marsden, in which two friends navigate the dangerous world of organized crime, testing their loyalty and survival skills as they get deeper into the criminal underworld.
Reprinted by permission of Whatzup