The original Rec was one of the most frightening horror movies I've seen in years. Paced to perfection, the final twenty minutes are relentless in their quest to wring every ounce of terror out of its audience. The sequel attempts a similar ploy, utilising the hand-held aesthetic of the "found footage" sub genre to maximum effect, delivering multiple viewpoints of the carnage via helmet cams and a group of curious teenagers with a second camera, whilst expanding on the religious implications touched upon during the climax of the original.
The result however is a mixed bag. Whilst Rec 2 delivers on its scares, the addition of multiple plot threads slackens the pace at times. The teens that sneak into the building out of curiosity are not needed and do little more than slow things to a crawl, a problem for a film that runs at a mere 80 minutes in length. Also, the religious subtext brings an added supernatural element to the proceedings not present in the original. Whilst I have no major beef with this (and it does make for some horrific scares) it seems somewhat detracted from the aesthetic laid down by its predecessor: that of a short swift and terrifying ride. Things left unsaid are far more likely to frighten than explaining things outright. Unfortunately, Rec 2 opts for the latter.
But, as said, it makes good on its promise of frights. With the supernatural developments in place, we're immediately treated to a child infected, having attacked our heroes, retreating from the fight by scurrying across the ceiling. We also now have infected speaking in tongues, a bit disconcerting when those that speak are the infected children from the first.
It works for the most part, but is flawed. I can certainly appreciate the direction the filmmakers were trying to take but the film gets muddled in places. Still, I did find myself wondering if I'd have to change my pants from time to time. On that front, Rec 2 works fine.
3.5/5
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