Rec 2 | 2009
Rec 2
Rec 2 (stylized as [•REC]²) is a 2009 Spanish found footage horror film and a sequel to the 2007 film Rec. The film was written and directed by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza, both of whom return from the previous film. The story takes place immediately after the events of the first film, where a team of soldiers is dispatched to protect a scientist sent to investigate the cause of the infected residents, but the scientist may know more than he claims.
Several actors from the first film briefly appear as infected versions of their roles. This film is followed by Rec 3: Genesis, which occurs simultaneously with the events of Rec and Rec 2, and leads to Rec 4: Apocalypse.
Dr. Owen (played by Jonathan Mellor) is an official from the health department, and an armed GEO team (Fernandez, Martos, Rosso, Lara) is sent to an isolated apartment building to investigate the cause of the infected and violently transformed residents. They go up to the attic (where the first film ended), but it is empty. They return to the lower floors to investigate the commotion and are attacked by the infected residents.
Martos becomes infected, and Owen defends him using religious mantras and a rosary. He reveals that he is actually a priest sent by the Vatican to obtain a blood sample from the girl Tristana Medeiros, who is the source of the infection. The GEO agents search the apartment where Medeiros was held and discover the body of the original priest, Albelda, who had possession of Medeiros. They look for the blood sample that Albelda had taken from Medeiros but lose it. Owen states that to complete the mission, they must obtain a blood sample directly from Tristana herself. They are attacked by the infected horde, and Lara commits suicide when cornered.
The infected young girl Jennifer's father persuades a firefighter to enter the building. Unbeknownst to them, they are followed by three teenagers (Tito, Mire, Ori), and the police block their exit. Jennifer's father becomes infected and is killed by the GEO team, while the firefighter is accidentally killed by Mire, and Martos is also killed. After Tito becomes infected, the team locks Mire and Ori in a room and meets journalist Angela Vidal (played by Manuela Velasco). They question the infected Tito, and from his cryptic answers, they deduce that Medeiros is in the penthouse and that certain areas are only accessible in complete darkness and infrared light.
They use Angela's camera's night vision to find a hidden door. They are attacked by Medeiros, who kills Fernandez and attacks Owen, but Angela blows her head off with a shotgun. Owen, needing the blood sample, angrily refuses to let them leave. An enraged Angela attacks him, killing Rosso, who tries to intervene. It is revealed that the demon possessing Tristana has now taken over Angela.
Angela kills Owen and mimics his voice to contact the authorities. She claims the mission is complete, that Owen is infected and must remain inside, and that Angela is the only survivor. In a flashback, just before the start of the film, Angela is captured by Medeiros and learns that the intestinal parasite is transmitted orally. When the response team arrives, she hides.
The film premiered in the non-competitive section at the 66th Venice International Film Festival. It was also screened in the Midnight Madness section of the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival, Fantastic Fest in Austin in 2009, and the Sitges Film Festival in 2009. The film was released in Spain in the first week of October, topping the Spanish box office and setting a record for the best opening weekend for a Spanish film that year.
Rec 2 was released in New Zealand theaters by Vendetta Films on November 13, 2009. The film's marketing budget was NZ$7,500, used to create a website, with the remaining $5,000 to be awarded to a member of the public who generates the best promotion for the film's release. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is set to release the film on DVD in October 2010. In March 2010, Magnolia Pictures acquired the rights for the U.S. market, with a theatrical release planned for July 2010. Distributor Magnolia Pictures is scheduled to screen the film on video-on-demand platforms on June 4, 2010, and it will be released only on DVD. Magnolia plans to release the film on July 9, 2010, and the UK trailer was released on March 30, 2010.
The film was released in the UK on May 28, 2010, and was screened at the Portage Theater in Chicago as part of Terror in the Isles 4.
Rec 2 received generally positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a "fresh" rating of 68% based on 72 reviews, with an average rating of 6.21/10. The site's consensus states, "While it lacks the shocking surprises of the first film, [REC] 2 nearly maintains the original's chilling momentum and proves that not all horror sequels are created equal."
Janet Maslin of The New York Times praised the sound design and direction but criticized the sequel's lack of scares, anti-Catholic sentiment, and repetitive direction.
Little White Lies gave the film 4/5, calling it "the best zombie sequel since Dawn of the Dead." Empire also awarded the film 4 stars, stating, "There’s a malevolent energy that feels like being trapped in a first-person shooter possessed by a demon."
However, the Daily Mirror gave the film 2 stars, with reviewer David Edwards stating it felt "a bit W[rec]k."
