Nowadays, when you hear the words “horror movie sequel,” you immediately think of the struggling Scream franchise, letting out a collective sigh of disappointment at the genre. “Ready or Not 2: Here I Come” avoids that reaction. In fact, the bloody comedy proves just as entertaining as its predecessor.

“Ready or Not 2” continues immediately after the first film, “Ready or Not.” The camera zooms in on Grace Le Domas (Samara Weaving) as she sits on the steps of the Le Domas family home, still wearing her bloody, torn wedding dress. Do not fret—she remains the protagonist. After previously battling an insanely wealthy family bound by a pact with the devil in a deadly game of hide-and-seek, Grace ultimately comes out on top. In her fight to the end, she vanquishes the entire Le Domas family to Hell with an explosion of blood and gore, receiving a final sendoff from Mr. Le Bail — the devil behind the family’s pact. In the final moments of “Ready or Not” Grace pulls out a well-deserved cigarette as police rush onto the scene. When an officer asks what happened, Grace delivers one iconic response, “In-laws.”

“Ready or Not 2” recreates that ending, but this time, but in this movie, Grace collapses after speaking to the officer. She wakes up in a hospital bed, handcuffed to the rail; because of course she cannot catch a break. A stereotypical, hard-nosed detective soon enters demanding answers from Grace. As expected, claiming that ‘the devil did it’ is a one-way ticket straight to a psychiatric facility.

In a turn of events, Grace’s estranged sister Faith MacCaullay (Kathryn Newton) makes an appearance. The sisters immediately clash, revisiting unresolved tension after the Sherrif leaves, and Grace eventually reveals the horrors she has just gone through.

The film truly kicks off in a shift to Chester Danforth (David Cronenberg) as he is just informed that Grace lived to tell another tale. Chester and the entire Danforth appear to control global power. In one scene, as a war plays on television, Chester casually calls for a ceasefire, and the broadcast reflects the change almost instantly. A world where those in charge end wars and do not start them may stand as the film’s most unrealistic element.

After texting a group chat of what we can only assume is likely filled with equally powerful elites that “the ball is in play,” let us just say that Chester exits the story almost as quickly as he entered.

We are introduced to the Danforth children Ursula (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Titus (Shawn Hatosy). With Titus emerging as particularly unsettling.

In a fast-paced montage, the film introduces the other families who received Chester’s message. Like the Le Domas’s, each character is the head of some insanely wealthy family. The montage was especially nice since it was fast-faced and really showed the personalities of each character.

Grace’s survival apparently unlocked an even bigger game. Now the family that successfully hunts and kills Grace will replace the Danforths as the most powerful force in the world. Unfortunately for Grace, that means she must go through Hell and back again.

After rule-breaking by a head family member, a little bit of murder and drugging at the hospital, Grace and Faith unwillingly arrive at the Danforth Property. Here they meet all the hunters who will do just that—hunt them down. Alongside them are their family members who should take their place in order of succession if something unfortunate happens to them. The lawyer (Elijah Wood) clearly explains the rules without it feeling like an insult to the audience, embodying a character who thrives in chaos.

After setting up the stakes for the hunt, everyone gets down to business. Weapons range from firearms to swords, escalating the tension immediately.

The film handles its deaths creatively. Of course, players still combusted, but they included a few unique additions that I appreciated. If you are grossed out by lots of blood, then this might not be the movie for you.

As Grace and Faith must fight together to survive, we naturally get to see their sibling dynamic and learn more about why they became estranged. This subplot, however, falls flat. The writing and performances for their feud lack authenticity, at times feeling forced. But, when the story was not focused on their feud, seeing them fight alongside one another and for each other was enjoyable.

Shawn Hatosy’s acting as Titus delivers a standout performance. If you are familiar with his portrayal of Dr. Jack Abbot in “The Pitt”, then you might be expecting a compassionate personality. In this movie, he was anything but that. Hatosy did an amazing job portraying someone who is truly evil. You go from laughing at the antics of his character, though still crazy, to being wide eyed at the lengths he goes to win back that Danforth seat.

Weaving once again embodies the ideal final girl, as she continues to convince the audience that she is capable and will do anything it takes to survive. The addition of Faith doubles those stakes.

“Ready or Not 2: Here I Come” perfectly expands upon the universe of its predecessor. From the comedic timing of the characters to the almost melodramatic themes of the movie, the film refuses to take itself too seriously. “Ready or Not 2” is quite a wild ride that you may not want to miss.