I was very excited to get to see [REC] 2.  When the sequel to a film I love is helmed by the same people, I get all oogy about it.  Surely that means I will love this one just as much.  Sadly, that is not always the case, but it was this time, just with a different part of my brain.  The thriller loving part.  Where [REC} was genuinely creepy and scary in a get-in-there-and-mess-you-up kind of way, this one tackles the job with a little more flair, opting to crank up the jump scares and dial down the mystery.  But it's okay.  Really.  This will require some talking so hang in and read along.

[REC] 2 begins pretty much where the former left off.  That's usually a good sign.  We already know that it is going to be related to the original in more than name.  Entering the apartment building was just like going home.  I knew where the blood smears came from.  I knew what to expect within each apartment.  And I found myself tensing up just remembering my first trip through.  Then we go on this crazy ride as the Ministry sends in someone to check out the building with a SWAT team escort.  From that point on it's bumps and freak-outs all the way through.  Remember how the first one was kind of like the haunted house attraction at a carnival?  This feels the same but even more so.  As any good sequel should do, it realizes that the wad was blown in the first attempt so it would be useless to try and achieve exactly the same response.  Now remember the rules as laid out by Scream (Shush, they were right about that).  Anything can happen in the sequel.  It's bigger, faster, wilder and fairly insane.  I was on the edge of my seat most of the time.  If you are a gamer like me then you should really dig the scenes that play just like a first-person shooter.  They found new and creative ways to give us the POV feel without doing exactly what they did the first time. 

Anything can happen in the sequel.  It's bigger, faster, wilder and fairly insane.  I was on the edge of my seat most of the time.  If you are a gamer like me then you should really dig the scenes that play just like a first-person shooter.  They found new and creative ways to give us the POV feel without doing exactly what they did the first time. 

Sounds good so far, right?  So now I fess up and tell you that it's not perfect.  The supernatural angle that was introduced in [REC] is delved into deeper here and, sometimes, it comes off as laughable.  I'll admit that.  But in the end, it's not much worse for the wear.  There are chills to be had by all as well as some very creative scenes.  One had me laughing hysterically... until it was over.  Then I thought, "well that was pretty cool."  Directors Jaume Balaguero and Paco Plaza understand what needs to be done with a second installment.  You have to keep moving or the audience will get bored and you have to keep in mind that they know more than they did with the first one.  The demon's out of the bag.  So what we end up with is a continuation of the story we know with an adrenaline kick.  These guys get it.  And just like the first time, I'm happy they passed it along to me.  This is one contagion for which I won't be getting my cootie shot. 

audience will get bored and you have to keep in mind that they know more than they did with the first one.  The demon's out of the bag.  So what we end up with is a continuation of the story we know with an adrenaline kick.  These guys get it.  And just like the first time, I'm happy they passed it along to me.  This is one contagion for which I won't be getting my cootie shot.