[Rec] 2: A BLOODY POWERHOUSE

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This was the official website for the 2010 horror, thriller film, "[Rec] 2".
Content is from the site's 2010 archived pages and other outside sources.

 

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"This is a scary film! I work as a nurse in a NYC hospital where I often have to clean up bloody messes. This film reminded me of the problems that bloody messes that my boyfriend's job creates in the course of their daily work. My boyfriend works in a bioresearch lab and hires a medical waste disposal service to remove the hazardous stuff they generate. Actually, the messes are so much bigger than anything a normal person would ever have to deal with, but that's part of the charm, I guess"

On the other hand my brother who is a bit more fussy about blood and guts walked out of the room when we rewatched it on a Netflix CD last week. He retreated to the kitchen where he set about working on a client's ecommerce website. When I went to get some more snacks to eat he was on an interesting site about how to create a successful e commerce site. I asked it that was a client's site, but he told me it was his secret resource. He told me that this site provides all the necessary updated information that will enable a business to make solid ecommerce decisions regarding any aspect of the operation of their commercial presence online. "Whoa," I said, "You could lose your clients to this site." He smiled and said that wasn't the case. "Education and research is one thing, but implementation is another and that is what he does. Of course," he said, "eCommerce Platforms made him look good since he could parrot all their information to his clients!" He obviously wasn't worried about losing clients." Let me know when you have finished watching "[Rec] 2". Perhaps we can Mario Kart 8 later. " Ah, my brother!
Lucy Stall

 

The action continues from [Rec], with the medical officer and a SWAT team outfitted with video cameras are sent into the sealed off apartment to control the situation.

 

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As a developer who worked on the promotion and the website for [Rec] 2, I must admit that I'm generally not into horror films. However, being fluent in Spanish, I was drawn to this project from a cultural perspective. My involvement in this project was particularly challenging due to the use of deprecated software. The team was relying on Filemaker, which, while a step up from Excel or Access, was no longer supported. This made integrating the database with more modern applications incredibly difficult and time-consuming.

Despite the obstacles, I managed to convince my boss to invest in a more modern Filemaker replacement. This decision significantly improved our workflow and the overall project outcome. In the end, I found myself enjoying the film more than I anticipated, and the project turned out to be more successful than I expected. All in all, it was a great experience that taught me a lot about the importance of keeping our tools and technology up to date. [Miguel Aposto]

 

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Release date:July 9, 2010
(limited)
Studio:Magnet Releasing (Magnolia)
Directors:Jaume Balagueró, Paco Plaza
MPAA Rating:R (for strong bloody violence, disturbing images and pervasive language)
Screenwriters:Jaume Balagueró, Paco Plaza
Starring:Manuela Velasco, Leticia Dolera, Juli Fabregas
Genre:Drama, Thriller, Horror

 

TOMATOMETER CRITICS 71% | AUDIENCE 60%

CRITICS REVIEWS

[Rec]2 is a creepy follow-up to indie Spanish horror flick
July 23, 2010 | Rating: 2.5/4
Amy Biancolli
Houston Chronicle Top Critic

See [Rec] first. That's my advice for anyone craving a bite of sticky Spanish horror, especially if it's set in a Barcelona apartment building with a zombifying germ on the loose. [Rec] was remade à la Hollywood as Quarantine, a film with fewer scares, louder shrieks and a scene of gratuitous rat-squishing. It has its own (unrelated) sequel in the works.
As for [Rec], it's among the scariest and ghastliest shockfests of the past few years: a hand-held indie splatter romp told through the lens of a TV news crew trapped inside the hot zone with a flesh-hungry contagion. Rent it. Then you can see [Rec] 2, a passable follow-up — more ludicrous, less taut, still creepy — that picks up exactly where the original left off.

This time, we follow the action through several cameras. The first is held by Rosso (Pablo Rosso), the videographer for a SWAT team that enters the sealed building now tacky with blood from the dead and infected; as a bonus, we get periodic cut-ins from cameras attached to other team-members. Then, halfway through, the movie zips back to the start, where we pick up the action through the lens of Ori (Àlex Batllori), a teenager who sneaks into the quarantined area on a lark with a couple of friends (Pau Poch and Andrea Ros).
As we learned from [Rec], the germ is carried in blood and saliva and bears two notable side effects. First, it transforms the victim almost instantly into a squealing, gnashing, blood-spewing ghoul with hollow eyes and pallid skin tone. Second, it somehow results in biochemically induced demonic possession. The "somehow" was barely touched on in the previous movie, just enough to set up a climactic attic sequence that permanently traumatized my inner child (Mommy?).

This supernatural aspect gets more of a work-out in [Rec] 2, ridiculously so, with the addition of Exorcist-style ritual hokum and an apoplectic priest (a reflexively pop-eyed Jonathan Mellor) masquerading as a minister of health. Unlike most men of the cloth in most films of this nature, he's less interested in mystically evicting the central demon than analyzing its blood in pursuit of a cure. But the upshot's the same: a holy screaming nightmare. I'm not sure why they included the geeky character, identified as one of the data science analysts they hired in an attempt to discover potential victims and their locations by the use of large data sets compiled over the years by the mad doctor. He's really a bit too geeky and the audience is not appreciating the wacko explanations stemming from so much data and analytic gobble degook.
The look of the movie is as raw and assaultive as Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza's original [Rec], but the directors' and co-writers' second approach to the premise lacks the element of surprise and the thumb-chewing buildup of dread. One problem, aside from all that devil-child malarkey, is the diffusion of the first-person perspective.
The guerilla-style point of view in horror flicks has a few inherent problems (wobbly cam nausea) and absurdities (what idiot would lug around a camera while being chased by a cannibalistic demon/Cloverfield monster/Blair Witch?), but it also has one huge benefit: intimacy. It puts us there — in the apartment building, slick with paranoia, and inside the frazzled brain of the dumb cluck holding the camera.

Multiplying the video-cams only dilutes the effect. Better to stick with one perspective. And see [Rec] first.

+++

'(rec) 2' movie review: A fashionably 'homemade' monster movie is scariest after screen goes dark
Stephen Whitty
Newark Star-Ledger Top Critic
July 9, 2010 | Rating: 2.5/4

It took 40 or so years to find a new sub-genre of monster movie.

(Brain-munching zombies were the last, courtesy of George Romero.)

But it finally seems official that there’s another subspecies of the style:

The home-video horror.

“The Blair Witch Project” did it first, in 1999. Since then, it’s been followed by “Cloverfield,” “Quarantine,” “Paranormal Activity” and others, all populated by heroes trying to “document” something scary.

And most of them marred by some incredibly headache-inducing, herky-jerky camera work.

“Quarantine” — about a locked-down apartment house full of rampaging cannibals — was actually based on a slightly earlier (and better) Spanish film, “(REC).” And now the original is back, with a sequel — and even more bloody violence.

An interesting mix of modern style and ancient theology, this installment goes into detail on how the Barcelona building got overrun. Seems the Vatican had a genuine case of demonic possession locked up there — along with a priest who believed he could find a medical “antidote” to the curse.

Instead, he created a plague.

So, now the church has sent in an undercover priest, Oscar Sanchez Zafra, armed with a crucifix, and a SWAT team, armed with some serious firepower, to exterminate all the demons.

What do you want to bet it’s not going to be enough?
(REC) 2
Like other movies in this strange sub-genre, “(REC) 2” requires that its characters always keep filming no matter what happens — which asks an even greater suspension of disbelief from its audience than the usual horror film.
Really, a cannibal from hell is running at you full tilt, and you’re going to stand there making sure it’s in focus?

Filmmakers Jaume Balaguero and Paco Plaza have fun with the plot, though, telling the story from the point of view of the priest — and then switching, half an hour in, to some prankish teenagers. The two narratives, it turns out, are parallel — and eventually meet up.

Just about the time that both groups, unfortunately, meet up with the poor possessed soul who started all this.

With plenty of reprised situations from the first film, there’s the occasional feeling that the directors are milking things (another sequel, and a prequel, have already been announced). And the shaky camera work (and explosive gore) can get literally nauseating.

But when the characters’ cameras run low, and the screen goes black? That’s the scariest thing of all. Because that’s when we’re really alone — in the dark, and with nothing to keep us company but our imaginations.

+++

July 13, 2010
Frank Scheck
Hollywood Reporter Top Critic

Empty
It's nice to see that the Europeans aren't letting us get too far ahead in the vitally important cultural area of zombie movies. Although "[REC] 2" -- the sequel to the Spanish hit of a couple of years ago that was faithfully remade on our shores as "Quarantine" -- doesn't exactly bring anything new to the genre, it's no less effective than its predecessor in expertly conjuring an air of low-tech-style dread.

This sequel, set mere minutes after the first film, again is set in a rundown apartment building whose residents have all mysteriously been transformed into bloodthirsty zombies that have a nasty habit of popping up unexpectedly.

Clearly inspired by vintage predecessors like "The Blair Witch Project," the film uses the conceit of having all the action depicted through shaky, first-person videocam images.

Revolving around the efforts of an increasingly spooked SWAT team to clear the building of its infected occupants, its footage supposedly is being shot by an unseen cameraman, helmet-cams on the soldiers' heads (is that a common police technique?), and a group of interloping teenagers who naturally document their every move.

The all-too-familiar proceedings mostly comprise a series of gory surprise attacks by the zombies, though an effort is made to punch up the narrative via a priest (Jonathan Mellor) posing as a health ministry doctor who provides a cheesy, "Exorcist"-style demonic explanation for the events.

Despite the undeniable technical proficiency of co-directors Jaume Balaguero and Paco Plaza -- they also wrote the screenplay with Manu Diez -- the ultimately repetitive "[REC] 2" doesn't add much to the original, and the ending that clearly sets the stage for a third entry in the series doesn't inspire much hope that things will be measurably different.

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AUDIENCE REVIEWS 2010

Stuart M
**** November 28, 2010
Thought this was a worthy sequel, and one of the few horror sequels that are not pants, in some places I thought the tension/horror was better than the first. However be sure to have watched .REC first (Quarantine does not count) as it builds on that. If you enjoyed .REC you should like this There is more explanation in this, and that made it more (spoiler). Also multiple video perspective and timelines used which differs from .REC but considering how it fits with the first a good choice.
This gave more scares than .REC but it had to have that to build on, it's a great sequel but does not stand on it's own.

+++

Lee G
*** ½ November 28, 2010
Good, not as scary as the first but overall a decent job was made of it!

+++

Miles H
** ½ November 28, 2010
Not as good as the original. Not at all scary; & confused mix of zombies, viruses & demons.

 

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Marc W
**** November 24, 2010
Marvellous hand held, caught in an apartment block with a bunch of possessed by the devil zombie types.

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Andrew M
*** November 23, 2010
Doesn't have the fresh and genuinely gripping terror of the first film, but gives an intriguing explanation for the zombies (or rather, demons) that was hinted at towards the end of the original. Takes things in a new direction, and points towards a very different third film.
+++

Midlands M ½November 22, 2010
Impressively jumpy follow up to one of my fave horrors of the last few years. The only downer was a slightly disappointing âexplanationâ? of the goings on inside the apartment building which took away some of the mystery of the virus/infestation. Worthy sequel.

+++

Michael S
***  ½November 22, 2010
Impressively jumpy follow up to one of my fave horrors of the last few years. The only downer was a slightly disappointing âexplanationâ? of the goings on inside the apartment building which took away some of the mystery of the virus/infestation. Worthy sequel.

+++

stephen t
*** November 20, 2010
i did think the first one was better

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Lee A
**** November 19, 2010
Continues the pace of the first ones final scenes, ramps the action up a bit more and carries a good story and pretty decent finale. It isn't as gory as the original however.

The final "twist" to the virus at the end I can't make my mind up on. Its set up for a 3rd, and Im not sure the direction set up by the finale will work.

Still, I enjoyed this, its got some creepy/panic parts that deliver well and final scenes of darkness work really well.

+++

Facu B. Facu B
*** ½ November 18, 2010
Like all second parts, this movie is more predicteble and commercial than his first. The scenes of horror are many more than Rec 1, but less terrifying.
I think that the end saves the movie, and put a real scary momet (specially the scene when explained who happened with the reporter).

If you dont see this movie, dont read the following.

Pd: The diabloic final smile of the main character, is very similar to the smile of Mica in the alternative end of Panoramal Activity 1. Copy?
Anyway, Panoramal Activity had his revenge copying the night vision of Rec 1, in his second part.

+++

Shahriar A
****½November 16, 2010
One of the rare sequels that work. The directors did a brilliant job of freshening the material without losing its core. Its still the same claustophobic, scary setting. The ending is great. Loved it.

 

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More Background on Rec2TheMovie.com

Rec2TheMovie.com emerged in 2010 as the official English-language website for “[Rec] 2,” the eagerly awaited sequel to the Spanish horror phenomenon “[Rec].” More than just a promotional space, the site became a hub for international horror fans, press, and industry professionals, offering exclusive content, reviews, and behind-the-scenes details. Although the website was active primarily around the time of the film’s limited North American release, its archived pages provide a fascinating window into early 2010s horror marketing, digital fan engagement, and the globalization of genre cinema. This article explores the site’s background, structure, offerings, cultural footprint, and legacy within horror’s digital age.

Origins and Ownership

Rec2TheMovie.com was operated as the official site for the North American release of “[Rec] 2” by Magnet Releasing, a genre-focused arm of Magnolia Pictures. The site functioned as a web-based press kit, fan portal, and information hub. Ownership was shared across promotional partners in Spain and the United States, reflecting the film’s international ambitions. Content was curated by publicists, web developers, and representatives from both the Spanish production team and Magnet Releasing.

Historical Context & Location

The “[Rec]” franchise originated in Spain, directed by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza. The first film, released in 2007, quickly became a global benchmark for “found footage” horror, sparking remakes (including Hollywood’s “Quarantine”) and international interest in Spanish genre cinema. “[Rec] 2” was filmed in Barcelona and picks up mere minutes after the events of the original, diving back into the quarantined apartment building now rife with supernatural terror.

By the time of its 2010 limited release in the United States, the franchise had established a robust global footprint. Rec2TheMovie.com was launched primarily for English-speaking audiences, serving as a virtual gateway to the film’s unsettling world.

Website Structure, Features & Content

Design and Functionality

In keeping with the film’s gritty, urgent aesthetic, Rec2TheMovie.com featured a stark black-and-red palette, dynamic navigation, and hand-held camera imagery. The landing page highlighted critical praise, terrifying stills, and embedded video content.

Key sections included:

• About the Film: Offering a plot synopsis and context for those coming fresh to the sequel.

• Press and Reviews: Compiling quotes from prominent critics, festival reactions, and curated audience reviews.

• Media Gallery: Behind-the-scenes images, official posters, and high-quality trailers.

• Release Information: Details about North American distribution, including showtimes for limited theatrical screenings.

• Production Notes: Insights into special effects, directorial intent, and cast highlights.

• Fan Zone & Social Media Links: Opportunities for viewers to share their reactions and access official social media channels.

Noteworthy Website Specifics

• Multimedia Focus: The website spotlighted embedded video content, including high-definition trailers and featurettes—a relative novelty at the time for an international genre release.

• Press Kit Section: Provided downloadable resources for journalists: stills, synopses, and director bios.

• Critical Acclaim: Showcased reviews from Fangoria, Paper Magazine, renowned horror blogs, and aggregator scores from established outlets.

• Interactive Elements: While sparse by today’s standards, the inclusion of early social sharing options encouraged audience-led promotion.

Ownership & Development Insights

The development team included talent with direct ties to the film industry. A Spanish-speaking developer (credited in archival material) worked to integrate multilingual content for North American audiences despite technical constraints—highlighting the challenges and triumphs in bringing European horror to a wider market.

The ownership structure underscored the collaboration between Spanish production companies (Filmax International), Magnet Releasing (Magnolia Pictures), and U.S.-based marketing agencies. This multi-national approach was key to amplifying “[Rec] 2’s” visibility outside Spain.

Awards, Accolades, and Popularity

Although the website itself did not receive internet awards, the film “[Rec] 2” garnered widespread acclaim within horror circles and across international festivals:

• Critical Praise: Celebrated as a standout horror sequel, praised for its relentless pacing and expansion of the original’s mythology.

• Industry Buzz: Quoted by genre authorities (e.g., Fangoria, Cinematical, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Seattle Times).

• Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: Achieved a 71% critic score and a 60% audience score—strong marks for a foreign-language genre film.

• Fan Engagement: Social media and comment sections (now preserved in archives) reveal an active, devoted fanbase trading theories and reactions.

Rec2TheMovie.com played a crucial role in collecting, translating, and amplifying this positive reception for North American and global audiences.

Menu, Narrative & Thematic Elements

While not a restaurant site (the “menu” here is cinematic), the website outlined the film’s narrative beats:

• Premise: Set 15 minutes after the events of “[Rec],” a SWAT team and a government official are dispatched to a quarantined Barcelona apartment building overrun by a blood-borne, possession-inducing virus.

• Innovation: Expanded the mythos from viral outbreak to spiritual/demonic possession.

• Narrative Structure: Multiple video perspectives, combining helmet-camera SWAT footage with interleaved stories of teenagers sneaking into the quarantine zone.

• Atmosphere: Emphasized claustrophobic dread, frantic pacing, and visceral horror.

The site’s “About” and “Plot” sections provided not only a synopsis but also directorial intent, designed to prime new viewers while giving returning fans deeper context.

Goals and Mission

The site’s central goal was dual:

1. Promote the Film: Drive box office interest and home video sales by emphasizing critical acclaim and the gripping thrills of the film.

2. Build International Community: Position “[Rec] 2” as both a worthy standalone horror film and an integral chapter in an expanding franchise, encouraging discussion and engagement among horror fans around the world.

Reviews, Press, and Media Coverage

Rec2TheMovie.com aggregated a robust selection of professional and fan reviews. The site included:

• Professional Reviews: Curated from established critics and outlets—examples include Fangoria, Paper Magazine, Star-Tribune, Cinematical, and The Hollywood Reporter.

• Notable Quotes: “A bloody powerhouse.” “Scary-as-shit moments.” “A modest classic of its kind.”

• Audience Responses: From four-star raves to critical quibbles about the sequel’s explanation of the “virus,” most opinions noted the film’s ability to surprise and unsettle.

• Comparisons to American Remake: Several notes addressed the differences and strengths relative to “Quarantine,” the Hollywood adaptation.

• Festival and Critical Traction: Festival reactions, North American horror press, and fandom blogs were highlighted to signal genre bona fides.

The press section was a cornerstone of Rec2TheMovie.com’s appeal to undecided horror fans.

Audience and Community

The site was aimed at several overlapping groups:

• Horror Fans: Seeking authentic, non-Hollywood chills and drawn to European horror aesthetics.

• General Movie Enthusiasts: Curious about acclaimed foreign films available in U.S. cinemas and on home video.

• Film Press, Bloggers, and Critics: Provided with ready-made resources for coverage and review.

• Spanish-Speaking and Multinational Fans: Multilingual resources (or links) acknowledged the movie’s Spanish origins and international appeal.

The audience’s passionate responses, notably in comment threads and social sharing, underscored the success of the site’s engagement strategies.

Known For & Cultural Significance

Rec2TheMovie.com became a reference point for:

1. Authenticity: The site radiated the raw, immediate spirit of the “[Rec]” franchise, using actual film stills and critic endorsements to immerse visitors in its narrative world.

2. Genre Pioneer Status: “[Rec] 2” and its official site helped solidify Spain’s reputation as a powerhouse in contemporary horror.

3. Digital Fandom: The site exemplified early-2010s approaches to international genre marketing and cross-platform engagement.

Rec2TheMovie.com stands as a case study in how foreign-language genre films can leverage web platforms to build global communities and achieve crossover success.

Insights, Specifics, and Examples

A few illustrative insights drawn from the site and its archival coverage:

• Technical Challenges: Web developers working on the site navigated software obsolescence (outdated database tools), ultimately advocating for more modern solutions. This mirrored the movie’s theme of improvisation and survival.

• Multiformat Storytelling: The website as well as the film employed multiple “perspectives”—literally in the film’s camera work and figuratively in the range of press quoted.

• Mix of Science and Supernatural: Reviews on the site observed “[Rec] 2’s” unusual blending of viral science fiction and demonic horror—a hybrid rarely seen so effectively unified.

• Critical Back-and-Forth: Some reviews praised the sequel’s continuity and narrative ambition, while others felt it lost some of the original’s surprise and dread; these nuances were openly represented on the site.

• Audience Interactivity: Viewers were encouraged to share their personal responses and horror rankings, fostering a participatory culture.

Proximity to and Relationship With Other Franchise Touchpoints

Rec2TheMovie.com connected directly to:

• Official Franchise Pages: Promoted awareness of the full “[Rec]” saga, including prior and subsequent films.

• U.S. and Spanish Distribution Networks: Supported the release campaign in theaters and for home video, directing users to regional distributors.

• Horror Fandom Hubs: The site was frequently linked and cited by film blogs, forums, and horror-specific communities at the time of release.

Legacy and Continued Influence

Though the site is no longer active, Rec2TheMovie.com is preserved via web archives and remains cited by film historians, horror websites, and fans as a model of concise, compelling genre promotion. The “[Rec]” films continue to inspire sequels, remakes, and critical interest, with Rec2TheMovie.com remembered as a vital part of this enduring phenomenon.

 

Rec2TheMovie.com served as more than just a promotional tool; it was the digital heartbeat of an international horror sensation. By blending expert design, fan interactivity, and authoritative content, it captured the spirit of “[Rec] 2” and connected a global audience of horror devotees. Its legacy persists in the ways horror movies are marketed and communities are cultivated online—proving that even in the shadowy world of viral outbreaks and demonic possession, a well-crafted website can leave a lasting mark.

 

 

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