By Jasmine Ong
You know that feeling you get when you just can’t seem to catch a break?
That’s probably the same feeling Grace Le Domas (played by Samara Weaving) got when she found herself thrust into yet another murderous game of hide and seek, after having survived the one that occurred on her wedding night.
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come picks up where we last saw Grace in the first film, at the steps of the Le Domas home where she ultimately passes out and gets taken away to the hospital.
At the hospital, is where she reunites with her younger sister Faith MacCaullay (played by Kathryn Newton) before they get kidnapped by The Lawyer (played by Elijah Wood), who is tasked to oversee the start of a new deathly game of hide and seek, where the winner gets a highly-coveted ring that holds influence to become the most powerful person in the world.
From the get-go, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come did not take its time in delivering the familiar violence, blood and gore as it kicked off with the death of two new characters, one of which was played by the legendary king of body horror David Cronenberg.
These deaths, although quick and slightly confusing at first, paved the way for the bigger plot at hand, which introduces a new cast of characters, who represent different families within a council, and a new game that sees Grace return as a target.
Much like the premise of the first film, Grace is forced to play the deadly game of cat and mouse where she has to survive till dawn, only this time, she not only has to play to survive but also try and keep her sister alive while she’s at it.
As compared with the previous film, we are able to see more of Grace’s character as a person, as she evolves beyond the final girl persona that we had come to associate her with. We also learn more about who she was before she married into the La Domas family, which includes more than her being a foster child.
I’d like to think that the sequel gave room for us to be re-introduced to Grace as a flawed human who is just trying her best to physically survive while also attempting to mentally navigate unresolved feelings with her sister.
Like, yes, she is still a girl boss who outwitted and outlasted the entire La Domas family, but she is also a person doing the best she can for her estranged sister while trying to fight off these power-hungry and blood-thirsty families.
This is perhaps why it was so satisfying to watch when Grace was finally able to equip herself with a working shotgun and ammunition while singing the hide and seek song, and going after the families instead.
That was one of the iconic scenes for me in this sequel, as it felt a little bit like a homage to the first film, and a turning point for Grace to REALLY fight back.
Aside from the violence and blood, the sequel also seemed to focus on the idea of family dynamics. Besides the strained relationship between Grace and Faith that we see throughout the first half of the film, we are also privy to the dysfunctional relationship of the council families, especially the Danforth twins (played by Sarah Michelle Gellar and Shawn Hatosy).
Additionally, I really liked how Ready or Not 2: Here I Come continued to build on the lore and influence of Mr Le Bail, showing that his reach is far greater than just the Le Domases. In fact, in this sequel, we are shown that his reach had crossed international waters, landing in places like China, Europe and South America.
As far as sequels go, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come might not be one of the best ones ever made, but it definitely does justice to the franchise in delivering the wit, gore, blood and violence of a solid slasher flick that you can thoroughly enjoy after a hard day’s work.
You can watch the trailer here.
