Fantasia 2010: [Rec] 2

[Rec] 2 may not quite be the masterpiece that fans were hoping for, but Jaume Balagueró & Paco Plaza have managed to return to the world that they created and keep true to the spirit of the original.”

[Rec] 2

Directed by Jaume Balagueró & Paco Plaza

Jaume Balaguero and Paco Plaza are back with [REC]2, the realtime sequel to their terrifying 2007 horror film. The original derived much of its cult following from its unforgettable ending, and the sequel begins 15 minutes after its predecessor ends, taking three heavily armed members of a Special Operations Unit and an official from the Ministry Of Health (Jonathan Mellor) into the building that was quarantined in the first film.

[REC]2 delivers the same nonstop thrills but adds on a new spin to the tale, taking cues from Aliens and The Exorcist with a subplot about demonic possession. This is far from your cut and dry sequel. It has enough invention and wit to keep fans happy; it’s a non stop adrenaline pumping terror ride into hell. Much like [REC], the sequel blends a clever mutation of horror standards seen in everything from Romero’s films to Outbreak to The Blair Witch Project.

Without wasting much time, the infected attack the SWAT team, and we’re on our way. We learn early on that what they’re dealing with aren’t zombies but something entirely different – the same can be said for the “doctor” who’s been sent in with the SWAT team. Despite the plot twists, the filmmakers fail in keeping consistent with the original.

As in [REC], the audience is taken on a first-person ride through the infected apartment complex, and here the possibility of the shaky-cam shots are further explored. In [REC] 2, the SWAT team is equipped with cameras on their helmets to help document the events, and in addition each agent also has a tiny camera mounted on his helmet, making the picture technically more impressive while also giving editor David Gallart more raw material to work with. The brilliant use of several cameras mounted on their helmets allows the audience to be quickly transported anywhere the action is taking place.

In a brilliant turn of events, the SWAT team loses their camera feed, sending the picture to a dead halt. After thirty seconds of silence and watching a black screen we start the journey over from the very beginning through the eyes of a group of kids who were earlier spotted in the apartment. The small group of teenagers (Andrea Ros, Alex Batllori, Pau Poch) enter the building through the city sewers and being documenting the mayhem within.

Like its predecessor, the sound design, substituting for a score, is the key to success, only the filmmakers’ mistake is to drown out the sound with continuous non stop rambling, with its characters arguing amongst themselves. The constant bickering and yelling cuts away at the tension and quickly becomes tiresome, leaving us with a technically superior yet less creepy picture. The success of the original depended on how effectively it built tension. There is no slow build up to the events and we are never given a chance to grow or care about any characters. Instead, the action simply starts and never lets up. Just like Aliens, [REC] is first and foremost about creating fear. It’s a true horror film with perfect mood and tone, and just like Aliens, [REC]2 is more of an action film than its predecessor, far more concerned with adrenaline-pumping thrills.

Many argue that offering an explanation for something that was far more effective when left largely unexplained is a major flaw. I won’t disagree but unfortunately that is the price you pay for any sequel, Halloween being the prime example. Not only was Michael Myers just a shape in the original, but it was never Carpenter’s intention to flesh out his character and add on a sibling relationship. As a result, [REC] 2 may not quite be the masterpiece that fans were hoping for, but Jaume Balagueró & Paco Plaza have managed to return to the world that they created and keep true to the spirit of the original.

- Ricky D