Ready or Not Sequel: Here I Come - A Sequel With Diminished Returns

Meet Grace (portrayed by Samara Weaving), the sole survivor of the "wedding night from hell" in 2019's "Ready or Not." Having barely taken a puff on her celebratory cigarette, Grace finds herself embroiled in yet another harrowing ordeal in "Ready or Not 2: Here I Come." The sequel infuses higher intensity, but the overall experience may seem less impacting than its predecessor.

In the original film, the pure simplicity of its plot was a selling point-it was a game of hide and seek gone horribly wrong, with Weaving portraying a compelling final girl, her quivering screams sounding almost operatic. In this new iteration, directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, along with writers Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy, have promised more of everything.

This time around, Grace is joined by her sister Faith (played by Kathryn Newton). As the plot unfolds, the audience is exposed to a larger world where the evil Le Domas family is merely one of six ultra-rich Satan-worshipping clans spread worldwide.

As the narrative moves forward, the Danforth family, who owns a casino empire, emerges as incredibly influential. Yet with the demise of the Le Domas family, a vacuum has been created in the Satan-worshipping council, and every family is vying to fill that void by eliminating Grace.

Despite the fun delivered by "Here I Come" and the insightful comedic effect brought on by the struggle of 0.00000001% rich grappling with retrograde weapons and unrelatable problems, the film does grapple with some issues, notably an overly complicated lore and increased and often unnecessary emotional stakes. Furthermore, the sequel's villains touch on the theme of domestic violence, creating a disconnect with the film's overall tone of absurd violence.

In a nutshell, while "Here I Come" continues to entertain with its unique brand of comedy and horror, a potential third installment might benefit from a reflection on the maxim “quit while you’re ahead”.