Dir: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, US, 2026, 108 mins
Cast: Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Elijah Wood
Review by Matthew Morlai Kamara
Grace (Samara Weaving) believed her wedding-night hell was a singular ordeal, yet she soon discovers she has been forcibly drafted into “level two” of a far more expansive, global conspiracy. This time, the hunt scales up to a shadowy council of elite dynasties, thrusting Grace and her estranged sister Faith (Kathryn Newton) into a high-octane survival race across a sprawling, trap-laden estate. Standing in their way is the formidable Ursula Danforth (Sarah Michelle Gellar), a powerhouse player in this twisted legacy. As the clock relentlessly ticks towards dawn, the sisters realize the world of the elite has become a literal killing floor, where the rules are rewritten in blood.
Returning directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (Abigail) have dialed the carnage up to eleven, delivering a sequel that makes the original look like a mere rehearsal. The fight choreography is relentlessly visceral. These aren’t just flashy cinematic stunts, but bone-crunching, hard-hitting brawls, where with every impact you virtually feel the pain. The cinematography captures the chaos with clinical, high-definition precision, particularly during the explosive “blood bath” sequences that define the film’s audacious visual style. The energy is pure adrenaline; I found the classic Fugees hook, “Ready or not, here I come, you can’t hide,” echoing in my head throughout the entire experience. In this film, there is truly no sanctuary.
Crucially, the film balances its brutality with a razor-sharp sense of dark comedy. Genuinely hilarious, laugh-out-loud moments act as a necessary pressure release valve for the audience, providing levity just as the gore reaches its zenith. These witty interludes ensure the film never loses its pulse of entertainment, even when the screen is quite literally saturated in red.
Admittedly, I found myself navigating some “choppy waters” during the more intense ritualistic sequences. Between the thick plumes of incense and the freaky, uncomfortable, demonic dark comedy, the atmosphere shifts into something decidedly odd and wild. The film is technically taking the mick out of these twisted traditions, yet simultaneously, it serves to open the viewer’s eyes to the sheer madness of the scenario. It is a wild ride that masterfully balances high-stakes thrills with a genuinely unsettling, atmospheric dread.
Finally seeing Sarah Michelle Gellar return to this genre was an absolute masterstroke. I experienced constant, electrified flashbacks to her iconic tenure in Buffy the Vampire Slayer as she commanded the screen with that same legendary, badass presence. This is a film that will undoubtedly cause your blood pressure to soar with excitement. It is literally in every sense a bloody good mess!
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