I like this so much more than the first one.
First, it’s scarier. :)
Second, I think it works better because the filmmakers spend the first little bit of the movie introducing us to the family. With the first one, we were thrown right into it. This makes us care what happens to the people.
Finally, it expounds on the mythology of the series. That keeps it interesting and from just being a rehash of the original.
I like this series so much and am very excited to see the fourth part.