When we last left our new bride, Grace, at the end of 2019's 'Ready or Not,' she was smoking a well-earned cigarette, having survived a night of slaughter. Seven years later, 'Ready or Not 2: Here I Come' takes off from that same moment but the mood does not remain light. Uttering that last line, Grace then collapses into unconsciousness and is carted away by ambulance. And her troubles, of course, are just beginning.
Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the movie feels darker and heavier than the original, which managed to maintain a bouncy feel, even with bodies combusting at an absurd rate. The new cast, including Shawn Hatosy and Sarah Michelle Gellar, is a depressing duo, and the plot follows Grace as she's forced to play another deadly game.
With a new group of families jockeying for the High Seat on the council that rules the world, Grace is captured and everyone converges on a Newport, Rhode Island, estate for another night of hunting. Is Grace up to the challenge of this new level of play? Of course she is, and so is Samara Weaving, who proves yet again that she's better than the material.
However, the extra 15 minutes of run time feel unnecessary, and the movie's tone is less enjoyable than the original. With a rating of R for strong bloody violence, gore, pervasive language, and brief drug use, 'Ready or Not 2: Here I Come' has been rated two stars out of four.
