Ready or Not, Here Comes the Sequel: A Bloody Return to Hide and Seek
The chilling premise of “Ready or Not” – a bride forced to play a deadly game of hide and seek with her new in-laws on her wedding night – proved to be a massive hit, raking in $57 million worldwide against a modest $6 million budget. Now, directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are back with a sequel that wastes no time dragging its beleaguered protagonist, Grace (Samara Weaving), back into the fray.
Barely given a moment to process the carnage of her nuptials, Grace finds herself whisked away from the smouldering ruins of her husband’s family estate. After a quick trip to the hospital to patch up her wounds, she’s unceremoniously dressed in the tattered remnants of her blood-soaked wedding gown, ready for round two of the lethal game. The massacre of the Le Domas clan has left a significant power vacuum within their peculiar, elite circle, and the only apparent solution, according to their twisted traditions, is more deadly hide and seek. While the concept might not be groundbreaking, the execution remains compelling. Horror, by its nature, allows for a certain degree of repetition, and this sequel certainly reloads the weapon with some impressive firepower.
This time around, the cast boasts a star-studded lineup, featuring the likes of Sarah Michelle Gellar, Kathryn Newton, Elijah Wood, Shawn Hatosy (known for his role in “The Pitt”), and even acclaimed director David Cronenberg, who makes an unexpected on-screen appearance.
Grace isn’t entirely alone in this terrifying ordeal. She can now count on the support of her estranged sister, Faith (Kathryn Newton). The script, penned by Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy, attempts to weave a narrative of familial loyalty, exploring the age-old question of whether blood truly is thicker than water. Much of the film sees Grace and Faith locked in a sibling squabble, debating who abandoned whom.
Meanwhile, Ursula (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Titus Danforth (Shawn Hatosy), a brother-and-sister duo, have been tasked by their formidable father (David Cronenberg) with eliminating Grace. Their success would grant them control of the High Seat, essentially handing them the reins of global power. However, the true hierarchy remains frustratingly vague, with their father failing to clarify who ultimately wears the crown should they prevail.
Sarah Michelle Gellar shines when she channels the venomous charisma that made her iconic as Kathryn Merteuil in “Cruel Intentions.” Elijah Wood also brings a dry wit to his role as a lawyer with a perpetual, unnerving smile, tasked by the literal devil himself to explain the intricate rules of the game. And there are indeed many rules to decipher, as the film introduces a new ensemble of antagonists. These include the sharpshooting Ignacio El Caido (Néstor Carbonell), the shrewd tycoon Wan Chen Xing (Olivia Cheng), and the flamboyant party-goer Viraj Rajan (Nadeem Umar-Khitab).
The Rules of Engagement
The convoluted nature of the game necessitates further subclauses and explanations, particularly concerning the recurring bloodbaths Grace and Faith find themselves in. While “Ready or Not 2” leans heavily on replicating the “iconic” moments from its predecessor, the original film was a timely commentary on the “eat the rich” phenomenon, offering a more emotionally resonant experience than many subsequent entries in the genre (one might recall Anya Taylor-Joy’s smug satisfaction at the end of “The Menu”).
In this sequel, the focus shifts from vengeance against the elite to sheer survival. Weaving delivers a raw and visceral performance, her character bellowing and grunting like a cornered animal desperate to escape its tormentors. As the surrounding world descends into increasingly absurd scenarios, the film manages to maintain a sense of humour in its excess, with an especially memorable sequence involving mutual pepper spray. Yet, at its core, Grace remains a compelling figure, driven by a demented determination that echoes Marilyn Burns’s Sally Hardesty, who famously laughed uncontrollably as the truck sped away in “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” (1974). It’s the same game, but the audience is still firmly in Grace’s corner, rooting for the same victorious outcome.
Directed by: Tyler Gillett, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin
Starring: Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, David Cronenberg, Elijah Wood
Classification: 15
Runtime: 108 minutes
“Ready or Not 2: Here I Come” is scheduled for release in cinemas on March 20th.
