A horror sequel that swaps viral science for demonic possession in a quarantined building
In short: Picking up immediately after the 2007 original, the 2009 Spanish horror film Rec 2 shifts the genre from biological outbreak to supernatural possession. A Vatican-appointed priest enters a sealed apartment building with a tactical team, discovering that the source of the terror is not a virus, but a demonic entity.
Directed by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza, Rec 2 follows a GEO tactical team and Dr. Owen, a priest sent by the Vatican to retrieve a blood sample from Tristana Medeiros, the patient zero of a demonic possession. While the team initially believes they are containing a contagious virus, the narrative reveals that the infection is spiritual. The film utilizes a found-footage perspective, with characters equipped with body cameras and video gear to navigate the dark, quarantined apartment complex in Barcelona.
The plot complicates as the team encounters survivors and reporter Ángela Vidal, who was trapped during the events of the first film. It is eventually revealed that Medeiros, a possessed girl, has transferred a vermiform organism to Ángela. By the film's conclusion, the demon has fully possessed the reporter, who then manipulates the authorities to ensure her own escape while leaving the priest to die inside the building. The film's structure relies on the discovery of hidden areas accessible only through infrared light, emphasizing the shift from a realistic medical thriller to a dark, supernatural nightmare.
Critical reception was mixed but generally positive, with Rotten Tomatoes reporting a 68% approval rating. While some critics, such as those at Empire, praised the film's intense, first-person shooter energy, others like Jeannette Catsoulis of The New York Times noted a lack of the original's terror and criticized its repetitive staging. Despite the debate, the film achieved significant commercial success in Spain, topping the box office during its opening weekend in October 2009. It served as the second installment in a four-part saga that concluded with Rec 4: Apocalypse in 2014.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Rec 2
- Also: Wikidata — REC 2 · CC0
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