Forgotten Frights II: REC 2

Forgotten Frights is back! To celebrate the second anniversary of our annual horror movie roundup, every weekday for the next month we're going to sound off on a scary good sequel (or, if we want some cheese with our corn syrup, a schlocky second), ruminating on the returns of our favourite monsters, murderers, heroes (or heroines), creepies, crawlies, chills and thrills.

What came before it: A found-footage Spanish zombie movie that's adored by horror critics and fanatics alike. A documentary reporter is filming at a fire station when the fire fighters get an emergency call to an apartment building. However, while there, they find out that an infection has broken out in the apartment complex and they've got to "quarantine" it immediately (hence the English remake of the film, Quarantine), sealing everyone in with it. They soon find out, that this is far from any ordinary virus and symptoms are terrifying.

What remains: There are two ways to talk about this sequel: safe and spoilery. I'll go with the former so that if you haven't seen it yet, you have a chance of loving it just as much as I do. The story picks up right where the first one left off, literally beginning with the last film's ending scene, and continuing with found footage. This time, we're with a special ops squad, before switching perspectives to a group of young teens who managed to sneak back into the building.

Why you should give it a second (or third, or fourth) chance:

• Everything we loved about REC is back and amazingly, even better.
• Some of the mystery from the first film is answered (and developed into a greater mystery).
• If you don't feel like reading subtitles, you don't really have to most of the time. The story is mostly action-driven, but intelligently so. It's definitely not about cheap scares and bloodbath.
• On that note, although it's not excessively gory, all blood and guts are perfectly placed, warranted and shocking.
• It's even more creative than the first, delving slightly sci-fi at times.
• It's got a ridiculous twist ending that puts a new spin on the zombie genre (if you'd call it a zombie movie at that point) and it will make you want to watch REC 3 immediately.

Sorry, I'm giving you a teaser trailer. You'll thank me later.