When placed into the hands of horror fanatics, Truth or Dare, Would You Rather and hide-and-seek are so much more than nostalgic childhood games — they become supernatural subversions of innocence. In Ready or Not, directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett pervert the familiar game of hide-and-seek into a gruesome game of survival, ripe with exploding Satanic in-laws and goat sacrifices. Now, almost seven years later, they reprise their twisted take on hide-and-seek in Ready or Not 2: Here I Come. Although Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett recycle old concepts, this sequel still makes for an undeniably entertaining slasher.
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, released on March 20, picks up exactly where Ready or Not left off: Final girl Grace MacCaullay (Samara Weaving) sits bloodied on the steps of her Satanist in-laws’ mansion after defeating them in a lethal match of hide-and-seek. Grace is then transported to a hospital where Faith (Kathryn Newton), her estranged sister and emergency contact, greets her. Together, they discover that the game of hide-and-seek is not over yet — they must compete in a second round against four rival affluent families to determine the successor of the all-powerful High Seat on a demonic council. The stakes of this round are naturally higher; Grace must not only fight for her own survival, but also make amends with her sister to ensure they both stay alive.
Notably, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come explores class divisions and power. The person occupying the High Seat effectively controls the whole world, adding a layer of satiric absurdity to the film. Falling into the recently popularized “eat the rich” genre of film, Grace and Faith have to battle the corrupt and Luciferian ruling class. They seek to disrupt this oligarchical and monopolized power as working-class women. While this trope is certainly nothing new, its incorporation into the film helps to establish tension between characters by tying in a valuable dimension of class commentary.
Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett also included the dimension of sisterhood to the sequel, differing from its predecessor. Although I found Newton’s character likeable and convincing, the relationship between the sisters seemed underdeveloped. Faith resents Grace for abandoning her years ago, but the story fails to explore their relationship more beyond this point. This trope of abandonment seems somewhat cliché, serving as a cop-out to easily infuse more conflict into the storyline.
Neverless, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’s abundance of gore and inventive deaths compensate for its lack of character development. Packed with utterly vile yet satisfying moments, the film knows how to sustain audience engagement. Foreboding string scores and audible heartbeats keep adrenaline levels high throughout its two-hour runtime. As Grace, Weaving masterfully navigates these intense scenes by delivering consistent energy and great liveliness to the role. She transforms an incredibly absurd situation into something audiences can believe.
While the film may occasionally get disturbing, it does not get serious. Lighthearted and humorous dialogue appropriately balance out heavy and gory scenes. Elijah Wood’s character as the council’s lawyer, in particular, provides dependable comedic relief as he introduces new sinister bylaws into the game. Elements of comedy and satire ease moments of otherwise unsettling bloodshed throughout the film.
Since its release, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come has been generally well-received by audiences. Although viewers have already seen the hellish hide-and-seek game play out on screens, the sequel incorporates new characters and raises the stakes to maintain interest, bringing in a wider network of murderous families. The film expands upon the supernatural lore outlined in Ready or Not as it extends the Satanic organization’s influence across the globe.
No announcement has been made regarding the potential for a third Ready or Not film. If Grace must battle demonic aristocrats for a third time, I think it’s highly unlikely for her to participate in another round of hide-and-seek while keeping the plot relatively fresh. I suppose audiences should stay ready (or not) for a new game of survival.
Michelle Bookbinder is a member of the Class of 2029 in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is a contributor for the Arts & Culture department and can be reached at msb394@cornell.edu.
