Ready or Not 2: Here I Come (2026)
Directed by: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett
Premise: Picking up exactly where the 2019 film left off, Grace and her sister (Samara Weaving and Kathryn Newton) are forced into another game of life and death in which they must survive until dawn.
What Works: In 2019’s Ready or Not, Grace unknowingly married into a family whose vast wealth was propped up by a deal with Satan. The sequel expands the concept. It’s revealed that the world is run by a network of families who are part of the same pact. Elijah Wood plays a lawyer who represents the interests of the devil and enforces the rules of the infernal contract. The four families try to kill Grace and her sister in order to absorb her inheritance. This puts the families in competition with each other while they are bound by legal and administrative rules. That’s the most interesting and most fun aspect of Ready or Not 2. The rules are a source of absurd humor; the order of the bylaws contrasts with the anarchy of the violence. The expansion of the story world pays off in the ending which is satisfying and absurdly gory.
What Doesn’t: The original Ready or Not didn’t suggest a sequel. It was a self-contained story and Here I Come feels forced and unnecessary. The previous film introduced Grace as an orphan. The first movie went through some effort to emphasize that Grace had no family. In the sequel it’s revealed that Grace has an estranged sister and the two of them must fight to survive while overcoming their personal animosity. The retcon of Grace’s backstory could be worth it if the filmmakers did something interesting with these characters. Unfortunately, the filmmakers of Ready or Not 2 are at a loss for what to do with the sisters. The bulk of the movie consists of fight scenes alternating with sibling arguments in which the sisters have the same conversation over and over again. The set pieces of Ready or Not 2 are adequate and occasionally mix violence with humor but there is nothing memorable or creative. The sequel lacks the edge and energy of the original Ready or Not and it is mostly a halfhearted retread. The filmmakers don’t pursue anything that would add to the material. Grace is now a member of this satanic conclave but she is never tempted by the power. Heading into the climax, the story takes a turn that could complicate everything but the reversal is handled in a way that diminishes the tension.
Bottom Line: Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is a mediocre sequel. It’s more of the same while lacking the novelty and subversive spirit of the original movie.
Episode: #1092 (March 29, 2026)