Ready or Not 2: Here I Come

Nobody asked for a Ready or Not sequel. Nobody needed one. Here it is anyway, and somehow it works. It seems impossible to follow up the 2019 original that wrapped up so neatly, but they did, and did so with gusto and a stellar cast that miraculously stays on point in tone and bloody mayhem.

The film wisely picks up seconds after the first one ends, and smarter still, reveals that the devil cult conspiracy runs much deeper than one unhinged family. Instead of one brain-dead family chasing the ever-capable Grace (Samara Weaving), we now have four, and they brought bazookas, automatic rifles, and samurai swords. For added baggage, Grace's estranged sister Faith (Kathryn Newton) is handcuffed to her for a good portion of the chase. Yes, in the first one she said she had no family, but we know how that drama goes.

The stakes are again elevated by a really funny cast that includes the fierce Sarah Michelle Gellar, a menacingly dumb Shawn Hatosy, a nepo crybaby Varun Saranga, a madly jilted Maia Jae, and... wait, is that THE David Cronenberg?! Together they embody the madness and stupidity of oligarchs who run the world while pledging allegiance to Old Scratch.

The action ensues with moments of sisterly squabbling that add genuine depth to Grace's character. The handcuffed-together dynamic is equal parts frustrating and funny, and Newton holds her own against Weaving's ferocious energy. Faith isn't just baggage; she's the key to understanding why Grace is the way she is. The backstory that emerges does occasionally pump the brakes on the mayhem, but it earns its place. This is a slightly different movie than the first, and that's mostly a good thing.

Come for the bloody-drenching carnage, stay for the sisters