The 2019 sleeper hit Ready or Not succeeded because it was a lean, mean, and darkly hilarious subversion of the "final girl" trope. Samara Weaving’s Grace didn't just survive; she burned the whole house down. Seven years later, directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (collectively known as Radio Silence) have returned to the sandbox with Ready or Not 2: Here I Come. While it expands the lore of the Le Domas universe into a global power struggle, the sequel often trades the first film's claustrophobic tension for a sprawling conspiracy that trips over its own ambition.
We spent 108 minutes watching Grace and her estranged sister, Faith (Kathryn Newton), navigate a high-stakes ritual at the Danforth resort. The prize? The "High Seat" of a global council. The cost? A lot of blood and a series of missed opportunities.
A Sister Act in a World of Icons
The best thing about Here I Come is the chemistry between Samara Weaving and Kathryn Newton. The project was originally conceived as a separate "sister story" before being folded into the Ready or Not brand, and that DNA shows. Newton fits into this heightened, violent reality, playing Faith with a frantic energy that balances Grace’s battle-hardened cynicism.
The supporting cast is a horror fan’s fever dream. Seeing Elijah Wood and David Cronenberg share the screen is the kind of genre-blending we usually only get in indie darlings, not $14 million sequels. They add a layer of prestige to the "High Council" that makes the threat feel larger than just one crazy family. The film struggles to give these heavy hitters enough to do, however. When you have Cronenberg and Wood on the roster, you expect more than just atmospheric brooding.
The Ursula Danforth Dilemma
The biggest draw for many will be Sarah Michelle Gellar’s return to the genre as Ursula Danforth. As a member of the elite High Council, Gellar carries herself with a cold, sharp-edged authority that reminds us why she’s a legend. This is also where the film loses its way.
Casting a physical powerhouse like Gellar only to limit her to a single hand-to-hand combat scene is an insulting waste of resources. We expected a tactical showdown; instead, we got a character who spends more time talking about power than wielding it. Her exit in the third act—a sudden neck-snap at the hands of her brother Titus—feels more like a shock-value shortcut than a satisfying conclusion to her arc. If you’re going to bring an icon into the fold, let her do more than just look menacing in a power suit.
Expanding the Game Too Far
Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy’s screenplay tries to raise the stakes by moving the action to the Danforth resort. While the first film benefited from the intimate, rotting hallways of a single mansion, the sequel feels disjointed. The ritual now involves four rival families hunting the sisters to claim a seat on a global council.
This shift changes the tone from a survival-horror comedy to something closer to a dark action-thriller. For fans of the original's tight pacing, this feels like a step backward. The 59 Metacritic score reflects this mixed reality—it’s a solid enough slasher, but it lacks the focused satirical bite that made Grace’s first outing special. Compared to the 2019 film, Here I Come feels less like a desperate fight for life and more like a lore-heavy setup for a franchise.
A Bloated Slasher That Forgets Its Teeth
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is a decent follow-up that suffers from typical sequel bloat. Radio Silence still knows how to direct a kinetic, gore-soaked action set piece, and Samara Weaving remains the best thing to happen to the genre in a decade.
The film ultimately fumbles its new toys. Between the multiple release date shifts and the early rumors of a director change, the final product feels compromised. It’s worth a watch for the performances and the audacity of its world-building, but don’t expect it to replace the original in your horror rotation.
Recommendation: Rent it if you’re a die-hard fan of Samara Weaving or Radio Silence, but don't expect the Sarah Michelle Gellar comeback the marketing suggested.
Comments