'Ready or Not 2: Here I Come' (2026): A Blood-Soaked Return to the Hunting Grounds That Proves Its Demonic Worth
Striking a remarkably natural balance between expanding its wicked lore and maintaining its signature dark comedy, this bloody follow-up proves that some demonic pacts are well worth revisiting.
Stepping back into the twisted world of the Le Domas family felt like catching up with an old, chaotic friend, and I'm incredibly relieved to say that this follow-up avoids the dreaded curse of the uninspired Hollywood cash grab. Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (Scream) return with a genuine desire to tell an entertaining story, pushing the narrative forward with a progressive sense of world-building that feels completely organic rather than forced. Ready or Not 2: Here I Come captures a similar level of pure enjoyment to the 2019 original, leaning heavily into a brilliant tonal cocktail in which the humor hits the bullseye and the violent, crimson-soaked chasing and fighting sequences deliver exactly what genre fans crave. Personally, the spectacular ballroom brawl stands out as an absolute highlight, blending fun choreography with an absurdly dark comedic edge that had me laughing out loud.
At the absolute center of this survival horror is Samara Weaving (Babylon), an actress who genuinely feels born to inhabit these specific, physically demanding roles. Her fierce screen presence and unmatched expressive energy give Ready or Not 2: Here I Come its beating heart, capturing the exhausting psychological reality of a battle-hardened survivor who refuses to let a rigged system destroy her. Unfortunately, this high bar of intensive expressiveness only highlights my persistent, frustrating issues with Kathryn Newton (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania). While I acknowledge that Newton possesses a distinct charisma and a bright aura that appeals to many, her performance here feels remarkably bland and one-dimensional. No matter how high the stakes or how terrifying the situation becomes, she maintains an unchanging, almost vacant smile that severely lacks depth, creating a jarring disconnect whenever she shares the screen with Weaving's remarkably transparent emotions.
While Ready or Not 2: Here I Come bypasses any major pacing issues for me, it does understandably lose the sharp novelty factor that made its predecessor such an unpredictable thrill, keeping the core mechanics of the lethal game relatively safe. The supporting characters are undeniably simple and archetypal, but in a movie of this nature, that feels far less like a structural failure and much more like a met expectation. This sequel succeeds because it understands exactly what it needs to be, honoring its thematic core of resilience against institutional greed while delivering a riotous, bloody good time.
In a landscape filled with cynical continuations, this chaotic ride allows us to watch a resilient heroine fiercely fight back against a corrupt, wealthy elite, while being an incredibly cathartic experience.
Rating: B-
