[Rec] 2 (18)

Film

Horror films

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Time Out rating:

<strong>Rating: </strong>2/5

User ratings:

<strong>Rating: </strong>1/5
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Time Out says

Tue May 25 2010

Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza’s adequate but disappointing sequel to their terrifying Spanish horror movie picks up the action just minutes after the final night vision shot of TV presenter Angela (Manuela Velasco) being dragged off into the darkness. A four-man SWAT team enters the quarantined building alongside public health official Dr Owen (Jonathan Mellor), blissfully unaware of the virus-induced mayhem and infected crazies that await them. The audience, however, knows exactly what to expect, so despite a few neat surprises, ‘[Rec] 2’ mainly expands on familiar images and ideas.

The sequel’s major innovation is the replacement of the original’s single TV camera with the team’s multiple-camera set-up. Bloody-faced ‘zombies’ lunge at the camera, POV shots often resemble those in first-person shooter video games, and screens-within-screens display feeds from other parts of the building. This technology is used cleverly but not very effectively, boosting the amount of information without ramping up the suspense. There’s also a lot of tying up loose ends, which is clever in a puzzle-solving way, but undermines the sense of an anarchic plunge into chaos.

More contentiously, the supernatural/ religious element introduced towards the end of the first film is expanded here, pushing the sequel into ‘Exorcist’-style territory. Most damagingly, about 40 minutes in, the focus abruptly shifts to three irritating teens who have slipped into the house through the drains. This flabby mid-section only serves to deflate the tension and pad out the modest running time. One could drive a fire engine through the many plot holes, as ‘[Rec] 2’ does little more than fan the dying embers of the original.

Author: Nigel Floyd

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Release details

Rated:

18

UK release:

Fri May 28 2010

Duration:

84 mins

Cast and crew

Cast:

Manuela Velasco, Ferran Terraza, Pablo Rosso

Director:

Paco Plaza, Jaume Balagueró

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Comments & ratings

Rated as: 1/5 (1 rating)

  • Nice review. Quite thorough. Personally, I love [REC] series. The first two are quite similar, but still amazing. The third is my true favorite though. I love how the zombies are little different in each movie. I got the chance to review of couple others in the series on my blog. They are short reviews but cover most the series. Check it out if you get the chance. http://horrormoviemedication.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-sequel-spectacular-horror-leftovers.html

    Horror Movie Medication Tue Mar 12
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  • Better than the original. Very surprised by it the cold critical resposne. Cleverly structuted in three parts, staggeringly immersive, both deeper and broader than the original. Shift from zombie flick to Exorcist influenced possession fable may alarm some, but for my money, this is as good as horror sequels get. Certainly better than the Exorcist II anyway!

    mrmustard Sun Mar 27 2011
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  • [REC] 2 has some good moments but overall fails to scare its audience with the film's demonic possession thread. Demonic possession even if explained/guised as a form of viral infection holds no spell over audiences fed a steady diet of science. [REC] 2 fails miserably at reviving the fear of demons. The directors spin a great narrative, however, by diving the story into three parts. And while the middle part can be read as an attempt (a feeble one at that) at introducing characters for which the audience feels sympathy, it ultimately does not move the plot forward.

    Sergio Wed Jun 16 2010
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  • REC 2 paves the way for REC 3 and REC 4. Rec 3 (Genesis) is likely to be a very interesting story about a man working on its own in a secret project. He is also working with something dangerous he believes he has under control. and will become progressively obsessed with his task and unaware of mounting risks. I think that could be a very good psychological story. REC 4 would be something else: in REC 2 (spoilers warning) a change is proposed, by which "highly possessed" may transfer a symbion to a victim, (the zombies are a by-product by blood infection) and also may alter reality while in the shadows. By teh way: where does the annoying girl actually die? How they are working that into REC 4 (how they will use) it's hard to tell. But I would not be that surprised if REC 4 became a sinister political satire, about how the disaster evolves by faulty decision making.

    Fred Savage Thu Jun 3 2010
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  • First REC was awesome, this is a pile of non sense, avoid at all costs!

    Thomas Noctor Tue May 11 2010
    Rated as: 1/5
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