Though relationships are tested again, the second installment from director duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett is an allegory on power politics. It is fine in its messaging but lacks the gripping edge of the original.
Rating: 
(2 / 5)
By Mayur Lookhar
Here you are being hunted by a radical lot. Amidst the chaos and terror, you hear, “There are no good guys or bad guys, but it’s the system.” Phew, though profound, there’s no time to think. Drop your guard and you’d be dead the next second.
Story
Barely a few days after she miraculously survived the horrors at the Le Domas mansion, poor Grace Macaullay (Samara Weaving) finds herself in another deadly fight for survival. This time, she’s in it with her estranged sibling Faith (Kathryn Newton). It was the Le Domas family in the first film; here, Grace and Faith are being hunted by six elite families. Ah, this is like jumping out of the frying pan and straight into the fire. It would take a brave man to bet on the Macaullay siblings surviving this hell.
Screenplay and direction
A sequel to their 2019 comedy-horror, writers Guy Busick, R. Christopher Murphy, and director duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett up the ante in terms of its metaphorical messaging. We spoke of the ‘system’, and it isn’t out of context. Though relationships are tested again, the second installment is an allegory on power politics. Well, given the current global conflicts, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come doesn’t feel out of place. The bloodthirsty six elite families aren’t just a cult, but they lust for power (High Seat) at the Council. It’s not dark faith per se, but the devil lies in mankind’s greed for power since time immemorial. The Ready or Not franchise turns wealth into a horror motif, suggesting that inherited privilege is often built on moral rot and hidden violence.
One is most curious about Chester Danforth (David Cronenberg), the head of the council – an elite so powerful that he can orchestrate a ceasefire in a global conflict. Stunned by how Grace escaped the Le Domas’ mansion, he passes the family reins to his equally ambitious children Ursula (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and her twin brother Titus (Shawn Hatosy). Ah, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen must be curious about her namesake. In some parts of the world, succession is decided by bloodline, but here the Danforth siblings and the other elites must prove their worth to stake their claim to the High Seat. Thus begins the devil’s game where the task seems simple – the one who kills Grace gets the High Seat.
The others vying for power are – brothers Viraj and Madhu Rajan from UK, the El Caido, Wan, and Wilkinson family. The Le Domases’ met their fate in the first film, while the Wilkinson pay the price for their rush of blood. For poor Grace, earlier it was tackling her devilish in-laws, and here she’s got to survive some maniacal oligarchs.
The sequel is fine in its messaging but lacks the gripping edge of the original. Also, for a franchise billed as horror-comedy, there’s little to be amused about in the sequel. The sense of humour, if any, is dry and dark. For all the hype and fearful reputation, save for the Danforths, the other elites just strike as whimsical. Yes, there’s the all-familiar bloodbath, but where is the horror? A promising plot let down by opting for dramatics over serious intent.
Performance
Having miraculously survived the Le Domas mansion horror, Grace Macaullay is up against some psychotic, bloodthirsty elites. Their words speak more than their actions, but neither does Grace display any neat survival instincts. Pin that on the poor action, but Samara Weaving holds her own again. Jeez, for a woman who endured gunshots, multiple lacerations, and then, just a few days later, to be thrown to the madcap elite, is too much to ask of poor Grace.
The sibling addition is a masterstroke. The complexity of Grace and Faith’s relationship makes it evident that there’s no sibling revelry here. Faith was just 15 when Grace left her to her fate. There is bad blood, but no sibling rivalry here. That can wait, but in this life-or-death scenario, the sisters have no option but to work as a tag team. All of this might seem overwhelming for poor Faith, but having survived without her sister, she sure can at least put up a fight even though she has zero combat skills.
The Weaving-Newton chemistry is hard to miss. Stunned by how her little sister showed up at the hospital after seven years with no trace, Grace fears the timing. Right from the beginning, Faith curses her luck; she even mocks her sister as a gold digger and now has to compensate for her materialism. Faith was happy in her humble world, having found a simple but honest boyfriend, and in a moment, her life has changed. How does Grace react to Faith’s taunts? Well, she thinks her little sister will always be weak and she’d left her for good, wishing that she never turned up at the hospital. Despite their fractious relationship, you admire how the siblings put all this behind and make a serious fight. The Weaving-Newton combo is the highlight of this sequel.
Ursula and Titus, though twins, are different in their thinking. Shawn Hatosy makes quite an impression as Titus, a man long subdued by his father, and now his sister wanting to control him. From the moment, Chester slaps Titus, that look, cautions you that this is not a human, but Titus is a ticking timebomb. Sarah Michelle Gellar has this constant intimidating look, but you can sense that Ursula does have different shades.
Bettinelli-Olpin, Gillet get their protagonists and chief antagonists right, but make mess of the rest of the elites. The representation of the desi-videsi (Rajan family) is as farce as New Delhi’s misplaced sense of Vishwaguru. The El Caidos ham their way, while the Wilkinson don’t last long to make any impression. Shanghai’s Wan family though is vastly different from the lot. Wan Chen King (Olivia Cheng) strikes as a sober lady who believes she can talk her way with Grace to find an amicable solution.
From Lord of the Rings to Ready or Not 2, Elijah Wood would be deemed a misfit as the Lawyer, the representative of Le Bail (Satan). Wood, though, remains his usual calm self all throughout this hellish ride.
Technical Aspects
We mentioned the unconvincing action choreography, particularly the misfiring elites-but there is no dearth of blood. Now, having been fed a regular diet of gore, Indian audiences won’t blink at the sight of endless bloodshed and imploding humans.
Final Word
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come pales in comparison with the original, but its power-politics messaging won’t be lost in the current global political mess.
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is set to be bw released in India on 3 April.
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