On Demand Weekly

On Demand Weekly provides new movie reviews of hot movies on demand and from the POV of watching from the comfort of your home. Today’s review: [REC] 2. Tell us what you think at mailbag@ondemandweekly.com.

Directed by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza, [REC] 2 was distributed by Magnet Releasing.

Although I didn’t watch the original [REC] movie produced a few years ago, I was instantaneously pulled into this action-packed horror flick. Directors Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza have created such chaos and shriek-inducing moments that you constantly have to prepare yourself for what’s lurking around the corner, making this film as horrifying as it is relentless.

[REC] 2 starts off with a mysterious health official and a small team of soldiers outfitted with video cameras preparing to enter a quarantined building, in hopes of containing an outbreak before it spreads. No sooner do they enter the building, crazed zombies dart out of the dark, bloody hallways and attack the soldiers who are searching for something other than survivors.

As the threat of the virus intensifies, the filmmakers shift their focus and rewind the story back to the beginning, when the soldiers prepare to enter the quarantined apartment building. Three mischievous teenagers, armed with their own video camera, sneak into the building to investigate the contaminated site. Their points of views finally merge and every captive fends off the terrorizing zombies as best they can.

Although there are a few weak elements throughout the film (i.e. discovery of the real identity of the health inspector and the virus’ true origin), directors Balagueró and Plaza create an amazing web of intrigue and complexity, which continues to build at a steady pace to keep the audience focused to the end. They deliver an extraordinary and spine-tingling tale filled with terrorizing tension and good old-fashioned gore and action.

With a first-person-shooter stylistic approach, an inventive script and an ending that promises another round of the horror franchise, [REC] 2 delivers a powerful and claustrophobic Exorcist on steroids. Horror buffs will not be disappointed when they sit down to watch this horror dream.

- Lorisa Bates

Lorisa Bates is a new contributing writer to On Demand Weekly. She is currently Sr. Director of Program Planning & Scheduling for Showtime Networks Inc. and an aspiring writer/producer for feature films.

[REC] 2 available On Demand
Run time: 1:24 / Rating: R