Ready or Not: Here I Come

Having barely escaped from her nuptials alive, poor old “Grace” (Samara Weaving) finds her recovery in hospital brought to quite a violent end. It seems that the fraternity that had assumed she would be eliminated by their previous game of hide and seek is now having to fill a gap in the upper echelons of it’s leadership. Unfortunately for her estranged sister “Faith” (Kathryn Newton), she was still listed as her emergency contact and so she, too, is soon embroiled in the next stage of this recruitment process. Under the supervision of lawyer-cum-master of ceremonies (Elijah Wood) they are offered the opportunity to take over the whole shooting match - but only if they can survive the hunting process that is now going to ensue at a swanky golf course owned by the squabbling “Danforth” siblings “Ursula” (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and “Titus” (Shawn Hatosy). I know Mark Twain thought golf a waste of a decent walk, but I think he might have preferred it to what comes next as the two women have to un-handcuff themselves and then survive attacks by machete, rifle, pistol and even the axe - and, of course, they prove no slouches when it comes to weaponising a tumble dryer or even a marriage proposal as they try to survive. This doesn’t start off so great, but once the scene is set and we’ve met the hunted and the hunters, this turns into quite an entertaining film with plenty of ketchup, some spontaneous combustion and plenty of gory-looking action as we head to a conclusion that maybe isn’t so big on jeopardy, but that is still suitably messy and suggests maybe there could be room for a third. This isn’t especially innovative, no, but unlike many others in the genre it isn’t trying to be. You can see it as a sequel or just as a stand-alone comedy slasher that has it’s tongue in it’s cheek and that is simply out to make you smile now and again, and both Weaver and Newton look like they are having some fun. You will probably never recall it - I certainly didn’t remember the first one from 2019, but I did quite enjoy it in the end.

Fun time at the movies for sure and Samara Weaving and Kathryn Newton are good together, but this does pale in comparison to the first as that film's final 5 minutes and its twist was fantastic, though everything leading up to it was also great as well. But with that twist, this one loses some of the luster and the writing was weaker. Yet still I was entertained and some of the fight scenes were great. It's also nice seeing Sarah Michelle Gellar in a prominent role. **3.5/5**

The premise of the first movie was deeply silly, really, and if you try to extend it to encompass more people and more places then it becomes a bit convoluted. That does not mean that the movie isn't fun. It is. The characters are engaging, the casting on point and the directing is great. It works despite of what it is and what it is trying to do. I like it.

Check out my full review @ https://www.manuelsbento.com/ready-or-not-2-here-i-come-2026-a-blood-soaked-return-to-the-hunting-grounds-that-proves-its-demonic-worth/

Rating: B-

READY OR NOT 2: HERE I COME is a blast. It avoids the typical lazy sequel traps, expanding its demonic lore naturally with a genuine desire to entertain. The action is delightfully bloody, the dark humor is on-point — especially during a hilarious ballroom brawl — and Samara Weaving proves once again she was born for this. The novelty is gone, and Kathryn Newton's frustratingly bland performance creates a jarring contrast against Weaving's incredible expressiveness, but it's still an incredibly fun, worthy companion to the original.

Returning to a universe that worked perfectly because of its simplicity is always a risk. Watching the main character go from a desperate victim to a bulletproof survivor completely changes what hooked us in the first place. This sequel definitely ups the body count, but it forgets how to build real tension or make us care about the characters.

The directors try to expand the lore by bringing in four rival families and secret, bloodthirsty hierarchies. It sounds cool on paper, but the story ends up dragging. The second act grinds to a halt just to dump a bunch of complicated rules on the audience, over-explaining a premise that worked best when it was simple and absurd. Worse still, underneath all this new mythology, the movie just recycles the exact same beats from the first one—the same repetitive hide-and-seek, the same cheap conveniences, and a super predictable third act.

You can tell directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett got a bigger budget this time around. They use it to amp up the gore with some awesome, old-school practical effects that don't rely on cheap CGI. But they kind of trip over their own ambition. The action scenes become a frantic, dimly lit mess, and the movie constantly struggles to balance its tone. Forced jokes keep interrupting the horror at the worst possible moments, killing any real suspense.

Samara Weaving is still the beating heart of this franchise. She completely nails Grace’s cynical fury and has perfect comedic timing. The problem isn’t her; it’s the script. Grace is treated like an unstoppable killing machine from start to finish. Without her original vulnerability and genuine panic, the stakes feel completely gone because we know she’s just going to slaughter everyone in her path.

The supporting cast is equally wasted. Bringing in beloved names like Kathryn Newton, Elijah Wood, and Sarah Michelle Gellar built up a lot of hype, but the script gives them absolutely no substance. They are basically treated as disposable pawns used for cheap laughs before being abruptly killed off. It feels like a bait-and-switch marketing trick to lure audiences in, wasting great talent on characters that die narratively long before they die physically.

When it comes to the final act, the movie takes the easiest, laziest way out. Anyone who watches horror movies will see the twists and betrayals coming from a mile away. Characters magically ignore severe injuries just to keep the action going, leading to a completely manufactured ending. Instead of giving us an honest, satisfying conclusion, it just serves as a cheap commercial hook to guarantee next year's sequel.

Ultimately, Ready or Not: The Widow stumbles on its own ambition to be bigger and louder. It definitely delivers the promised bloodbath, but at the cost of what made the original so special. Without genuine fear and vulnerability, it just becomes a predictable rollercoaster ride.

But at the end of the day, movies are entirely subjective. What feels exhausting and generic to me might be exactly the kind of chaotic, turn-off-your-brain fun you’re looking for this weekend. I genuinely recommend giving it a watch with an open mind to see how it lands for you. You might end up enjoying the madness a lot more than I did.