Horror Short Review: Knock Knock 2 (2022)

Writer and director Alex Magaña struck gold with the original Knock Knock, a tension heavy horror short with a solid payoff. As is often the case with AMC Official, it has had a follow-up called Knock Knock 2. Alex Magaña returns to direct and write, alongside co-writer Jed Brian.

Kristin (Elizabeth Hayhurst) is spending Valentine’s Day in a hotel room with her boyfriend named Kevin. Arriving at her room, she spies some Valentine gifts on the side table and a knock at the door has her believing Kevin has arrived. When she opens the door, no-one is there.

Back inside, she sees a note amongst the gifts from Kevin, apologising for not being able to attend their rendezvous. Disappointed, she doesn’t have much time to dwell on it as there is someone knocking at the door again. Two short knocks over and over again.

This time Kristen looks through the peephole and sees nothing but the knocking continues so she opens the door and no-one is there.

Distracted by a call from Kevin, as she talks to him, the knocking starts again but this time seems to move up the door until it is coming from the roof above. She tells Kevin, who suggests she calls the front-desk and then her phone cuts off.

What happens next? Watch it below to find out.

Those who have seen the first Knock Knock short will feel right at home here as it follows many of the same beats. That being said, there is a clear ramping up of events and the tension is still high. Moving it to the room above adds more chills, especially as the room the noise is coming from is the same room from the first short.

The creep factor is very strong throughout and while the payoff isn’t as strong as all that came before, it is still delightfully dark. This time we get a bit more insight into what actually happens to those who enter the room.