Ready or Not 2: Here I Come
*My girl, Britni, is back, fresh out of toddler sabbatical! Here is her “I must get this down on paper and out of my head” thoughts on a sickening sequel.*
Has a sequel ever been more fun? It’s a question worth sitting with, because the answer is almost certainly no.
The challenge with sequels is a paradox as old as Hollywood itself: audiences want the same film again, but different somehow. Not too different, because the original was great, but just, you know, more. Most films fumble this completely. Ready or Not 2 threads the needle with the kind of gleeful, blood-soaked precision that would make its satanic cult overlords proud.
Maybe it’s the sheer zaniness of the premise that makes expansion feel so natural. A woman marries into a cursed dynasty of obscene wealth, survives a wedding-night blood sport orchestrated in service of the devil, and then because the universe has a cruel sense of humor gets pulled right back in when the ruling families of the satanic council scramble to fill a vacant seat of power. The countdown starts again. There is a new estate. This one has a casino.
Starting exactly where the original left off, Samara Weaving as Grace is barely recovered from her ordeal before chaos descends once more. This time she’s not alone: her estranged baby sister, played by Kathryn Newton, is unfortunately, hilariously roped into the carnage. Plus, Sarah Michelle Gellar is here, which is reason enough to buy a ticket. The new cast of power-hungry, champagne-sipping, hopelessly incompetent satanic acolytes slot into this world seamlessly — ambitious, backstabbing, and utterly outmatched by a woman in a wedding dress who simply refuses to die.
Perfectly blending horror and comedy once again, the film hits the ground running and does not relent for 108 minutes. Notably, it even manages some genuinely touching moments between sisters before hurling you back into the gleefully unhinged action, a trick that requires real skill to pull off without breaking the spell.
Ready or Not followed immediately by Ready or Not 2 is the perfect double feature. Kudos to the entire team for not only nailing it, but making it look easy.
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come Trailer-
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is in theaters now!!
Moments after surviving an all-out attack from the Le Domas family, Grace (Samara Weaving) discovers she’s reached the next level of the nightmarish game — and this time with her estranged sister Faith (Kathryn Newton) at her side. Grace has one chance to survive, keep her sister alive, and claim the High Seat of the Council that controls the world. Four rival families are hunting her for the throne, and whoever wins rules it all.
Directed by: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett
Written & Directed by: Guy Busick & R. Christopher Murphy
Produced by: Tripp Vinson, James Vanderbilt, William Sherak, Bradley J. Fischer
Cast: Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, Néstor Carbonell, David Cronenberg, Elijah Wood, Kevin Durand, Olivia Cheng, Varun Saranga, Daniel Beirne Ready or Not 2
As he prepares to self-fund his hefty two-act drama with his theatre “besties,” Griffin’s theatrical passion is further fueled by a tumultuous homelife. Colia delivers a truly tangible script. Griffin’s mom seems overwhelmed with her go-getter and rather demanding son, but under the surface, something else is simmering. She hires a neighbor’s son to help with yard cleanup. What begins as an annoyance to Griffin transforms into a sexual awakening, a test of relationships, and a piece of art that mirrors his unresolved trauma.
Owen Teague plays Brad with an initial aloofness that perfectly contrasts Griffin’s overzealous nature. As Teague taps into Brad’s motivation, *no pun intended,* the performance captivates in an entirely unexpected way. Everett Blunck is a star. His portrayal of Griffin feels like a documentary rather than a performance. It is one well beyond his years. He exudes fierce confidence that is infectious. Teague and Blunck have magnetic chemistry. Colia skillfully creates a subtle doppleganger effect between the two. It is an incredibly nuanced balance of characterization and performance.
Colia cleverly speaks to art as catharsis, the plight of a tortured artist, and the meaning of authentic friendship. Existing between childhood and adulthood is wrought with emotional chaos, impossible questions, self-loathing, fear, and awkwardness. GRIFFIN IN SUMMER playfully touches on each of these with unfiltered heart and humor.
WINNER
Zach Galifianakis is Reality’s activist-minded father, Ron. He plays a proud papa with a brilliant mind and passion for justice. The apple did not fall far. Galifianakis brings the sass in all the right ways. Connie Britton is Mom Billie Winner-Davis, someone I greatly admire. I followed her on social media once the story broke, urging others to retweet and signing petitions for the Biden administration to pardon Reality. Britton delivers a pitch-perfect performance as a Texas mother with the typical priorities before Reality’s arrest.
It’s an entire hour before we even touch on the infamous Russia document. The front end of the film gives us foundational reasons to root for Winner. Fogel skillfully injects humor into a story that appears authentically absurd from any sane outsider’s perspective. Jones’ narration sets the tone for the entire film. If you know Reality’s story, you understand what an indisputable hero she is. How this story got buried as quickly as it did will never cease to baffle me. 
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