Rec 2

Directed By: Jaume Balagueró, Paco Plaza

Starring: Ferran Terraza, Pablo Rosso, Àlex Batllori

Synopsis:

Directly following the first film’s events, a medical officer and a SWAT team, kitted out with videocameras, enter the Tenement building to control the victims. What they find is beyond their nightmares...

Review:

This movie had to meet huge expectations. On the whole it met them very well.

[REC]2 follows exactly where the first left off and repeats the shocktastic final scene of the first film. It then cuts to the outside of the building and introduces the Spanish equivalent of a SWAT team. Naturally, they have helmet cameras so we can follow their progress throughout the building.

What follows is an expansion and explanation of the events from the first film. For me to tell you what that entails would be to ruin the suspense of the film, but the clues were there at the end of the first film. [REC]2 relies heavily on it’s atmosphere and the fear of the unknown. What the filmmakers do that is very effective in the first act is play with your preconceptions, as in you feel like you should know what will happen.

Like the first, the scares are not signposted or punctuated by a score. This makes the dread all the more palatable and the shocks a genuine surprise, like the falling corpse in the first movie.Unlike the first film, the camera footage switches part way through. This is where I became frustrated and started to lose interest. The switch involves the introduction of a group of teenagers who enter the building along with the relative of a victim, trying to find out what had happened. I found the younger characters irritating and distracting at the beginning of this segment. The movie had spent time building up the story and tension only for it to trickle away at the switchover.

By the end of Rec 2 I didn’t care. Tension had been restored as had my interest. The final denouement stretches into Resident Evil territory but is definitely a WTF moment that should lead into a [REC]3 if the rumours are true.

Summary

If I’m honest, the sequel isn’t quite as good as the first but it still remains an effective chiller that will satisfy most horror film fans. The most important thing it shows is exactly how over-hyped and useless Paranormal Activity was. If the average American pooped his or her underwear at that movie, who knows what could happen watching [REC] 1 or 2. It’s a pity that subtitles are an aberration in most US cinemas.A word to the wise – avoid any reviews that discuss the plot in detail. Hopefully, kind reviewers will indicate spoilers before you carry on reading.

7 out of 10 (Wayfarer)

Footnote: I have just one question; what happened to the dog?