Rec2 [Blu-ray] [2009]

Zombies are the new Vampires, but with less teenage angst and more chomping on savoury brains. One of the key Zombie films of recent years was cult Spanish hit `Rec', which combined the rabid nature of '28 Days Later' with the found footage of `Blair Witch'. `Rec 2' is a direct continuation of this film and hints further that the film has the hall marks of a zombie film, but is it? An enigmatic academic and 4 special ops policemen enter the, now supposedly empty, tenement building that featured the first film's outbreak. Who is this mysterious scientist obsessed with discovering what is in the attic of the building?

`Rec 2' is an example of the rare occurrence when more of the same is a good thing. The same sets, the same style, similar scares, but they all still work brilliantly. Even after two films you are still a little unsure of the truth and never really see the infected people. Bathed in darkness directors Jaume Balaguero and Paco Plaza use flashes of fear and the audiences' imagination to distil terror. The opening act is a brilliant mix of action and horror as the capable police officers slowly uncover the truth, only to discover they wish they never did. It is the slightly limp second act which prevents the film from being as strong as the first. A group of youngsters are introduced as a parallel storyline that just proves to be boring.

With a lot of the film being shot via handheld cameras, the HD should not work, but it does. The BluRay highlights the scary sound effects and gives the grainy imagery a depth. Balaguero and Plaza are the people who should be given the most praise for the film, and the series. They have stuck to telling a simple story well and leaving the audience wanting more.

****** This review contains some slight spoilers ****** I am huge fan of the original horror film "REC," which of course inspired the American remake "Quarantine." So of course, once I heard that they were making the sequel I was up for it completely. The first film is definitely one of my favorite horror films of all time (yes it was that good!) I really liked Angela Vidal (the main character) as she had a fun personality and didn't seem like a typical heroin from a horror film, it was great Spanish horror flick that had a few great scare scenes and a creepy but awesome ending and I've watched the flick several times. While I'm not sure I could have the same experience with REC 2, the movie is still a great horror film, this film also improves on alot of things from the previous one. It has more action, gore, comedy and yeah I would probably say that it was a better film.

REC 2 starts almost immediately after the events that took place in the first film, and follows members of the S.W.A.T. team going to the apartment complex from the first film. Equipped with video cameras, they go in to find any remaining characters, and find the antidote to the virus that is spreading. We also follow a group of teenagers who end up finding their way in too. We see both vantage points, including the horror that both teams face.The way this film is shot is breathtaking. In the first film, we had only one perspective from a TV camera. In this film, the S.W.A.T. team uses cameras that can link to mini cameras so that when one of the characters is on his own we can see what's going on. Some may feel this doesn't keep the realism, but I feel it does. Law-enforcement men take cameras with them all the time, and if you were a kid going into the apartment to see what's going on, naturally you would have a camera. In terms of a technical achievement, REC 2 definitely brings it up a level.

In the last film, what this virus may be is merely hinted at. In here, the directors move more into the mythology they created and expand it. We learn, without giving too much away, that the virus is much more than what we thought it was, something that leads back to the Vatican and religion in general. Rec 2 impresses because of a bold willingness to rewrite its own rules. In doing so, it sweeps the rug from under you feet, leaving you in the dark in regards to what can and will happen. With Rec 3 already announced, only time will tell if Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza can continue to re-invent their world so successfully. Either way, it won't be long until we take a trip back into hell, which is, truly, an appealing prospect. It was a truly awesome sequel, even my wife enjoyed this and shes usually squeamish when it comes to these type of films. I highly recommend this to horror fans, enjoy!.

If you like your horror then this series is the tops and the blu ray is the icing on the cake.A lot of good spanish horror about.