Here I Come’ Ups the Ante [SXSW 2026 Review]

Seven years after the first film became a surprise horror breakout, filmmaking team Radio Silence returns with Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, a bigger, louder, and considerably more chaotic follow-up to the cult favorite. Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett and written by Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy, the sequel doubles down on the original film’s pitch-black humor, leaning even further into the outrageous comedic instincts that helped to make the original such a hit. The results are mostly successful.

Picking up immediately after the events of the first film, the story once again centers on Grace (Samara Weaving), who survived the nightmarish wedding ritual that saw her wealthy in-laws attempt to sacrifice her in a demonic game of hide-and-seek. That victory, however, proves to be a double-edged sword. Grace is now the only surviving witness to a secret society of elite families whose fortunes depend on ritual murder.

This time the target expands. Grace’s estranged younger sister Faith (Kathryn Newton) is dragged into the deadly mix, forcing Grace to step back into a nightmare she desperately wanted to escape. If the powerful families responsible for the ritual fail to kill them both, they risk losing everything. And they are not about to let them walk away without a fight.

The result is a high-energy sequel that expands on the grande estate setting of the original for a series of increasingly lavish set pieces involving casinos, golf courses, and other playgrounds of the ultra-wealthy. The narrative is simple, if a little stupid, but the filmmakers understand exactly what kind of entertainment they are delivering.

Where Ready or Not 2 really shines is in its black comedy. The original film had plenty of dark humor, sure, but this chapter pushes the outrageousness and cartoonishness a whole lot further. Horror-comedy is a notoriously tricky balance that many studios shy away from, but Radio Silence leans into the overlap between the two genres with gusto. As any true head knows, when all is said and done, these genres often come from the same guttural place.

The shining jewel at the center of this sparkling crown of chaos is Samara Weaving, who continues to prove herself one of the most compelling genre leads working today. Calling her the film’s secret weapon almost undersells it. She is a full-blown movie star. Weaving plays Grace with remarkable restraint yet also with the comedic precision of a member of Monty Python. Some of the funniest moments in the film come not from dialogue but from a look, a glance, or a perfectly timed reaction shot. Her charisma carries the film through its most unweidly stretches, and it remains somewhat baffling that she is not already a bigger household name.

The supporting cast expands significantly this time around, bringing in a number of welcome genre favorites. Kathryn Newton proves to be an excellent addition, matching Weaving’s sly comedic instincts while grounding the story in a believable emotional dynamic between estranged sisters. Their relationship provides the film with its most effective emotional anchor, that while somewhat formularic, is still hard-working and pays off in providing the script its emotional backbone.

Meanwhile, Sarah Michelle Gellar delivers a delightfully sharp performance as Ursula Danforth, one of the film’s central antagonists. Alongside her brother Titus (Shawn Hatosy), she represents the next generation of the sinister Danforth family. Their father, Chester Danforth, is played by none other than David Cronenberg, who makes for a surprisingly fun cameo as the patriarch of the demonic dynasty.

Elijah Wood also appears as a mysterious lawyer-like figure tied to the cult’s supernatural bureaucracy. Playing something like a deadpan master of ceremonies for the ritual, Wood brings a quiet absurdity to the role that fits the film’s tone perfectly. It’s a joy to see genre icons Gellar, Wood, and Cronenberg join in on all the fun.

Despite all this energy, Ready or Not 2 is a little bit too messy. The film spends a lot of time chasing its leads in circles and through elaborate locations without always building meaningful thematic layers beneath the mayhem. While the movie invests in the emotional tension between Grace and Faith, the larger narrative structure could have used a bit more connective tissue to sharpen the stakes.

Still, when the film works, it works because it understands its greatest strength: the joy of watching Samara Weaving survive absolute chaos. By the time the third act arrives, Weaving shifts Grace into darker territory, letting the character evolve beyond the film’s humor. It’s a welcome change of pace and a reminder that beneath the outrageous comedy lies a performer capable of far more.

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come may not be as tightly constructed or as horrific as it could be, but it delivers plenty of fun, action, and gleeful carnage. Most importantly, it once again confirms that Samara Weaving remains one of the genre’s best secret weapons, giving her the perfect showcase to shine her brightest.

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come premiered at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas, on March 13, 2026

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