Smile defied expectations upon its release in 2022, thanks to its viral marketing campaign and twisty narrative that utilised everything from crime thriller elements to supernatural jump scares and unique curse mythology. Originally slated for a streaming release, Parker Finn’s directorial debut hit theatres worldwide and grossed more than $217 million worldwide against a budget of $17 million. A second film was announced almost instantly, with Smile 2 hitting theatres just in time for Halloween.
Smile 2 follows pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) as she prepares for her eagerly-anticipated comeback tour after stepping away from the spotlight due to substance abuse issues and the death of her boyfriend Paul Hudson (Ray Nicholson). Despite being under constant supervision by her mother and manager Elizabeth (Rosemarie DeWitt) and her assistant Joshua (Miles Gutierrez-Riley), Skye manages to sneak out and buy drugs from her dealer Lewis (Lukas Gage), who had the Smile Entity’s curse passed onto him by none other than Joel (Kyle Gallner) after he survived the event of the first film. When she meets Lewis, Skye witnesses him brutally take his own life, thus passing the curse onto her. She soon begins experiencing the same haunting phenomena we witnessed in Smile – a demon appearing through strangers and even Skye’s loved ones, staring at her with an unnatural grin.
Smile 2 is bigger and bloodier than its predecessor, with stomach-turning practical effects and lashings of gore that contrast starkly with the glitz and glamour of the pop world. From killer dance routines to actual kill sequences, the film sways violently between the fast-paced world of showbusiness, and the grimy underbelly behind the scenes where Skye struggles with physical and mental pain – even before becoming cursed. It takes the themes of the initial film and turns them up to 11, focusing less on generational trauma and inherited mental health issues, and more on how anyone, at any time, could accidentally witness a victim’s death and become trapped by the Smile Entity.
Narratively, Smile 2 doesn’t offer much more than the first film. Still, it embraces the ridiculousness of its premise. It gives the audience exactly what they came for – eerie, smiling antagonists trapping our protagonist in situations we’re not sure how she’ll escape. The demon does not feel more fleshed out in the sequel, and its seemingly endless abilities dampen the nightmarish mystery the Smile Entity possesses, but Finn makes up for it with nail-biting sequences, twists, and turns that leave you on the edge of your seat until the final act.
At the centre of the film’s wild and wonderful narrative is a masterful performance by Naomi Scott as Skye, who dominates every scene she graces like a true superstar. Her fear, isolation, and exhaustion as she battles demons – both physical and otherwise – are palpable, as is her frenzied desire to survive which carries the film’s racing tempo. It’s impossible not to care about her plight, and the tale of a young pop icon thrust to stardom and dealing with the harrowing fallout of addiction and excess feels far too relatable in 2024.
Both grim and goofy, Finn understands what Smile fans want and gives it to them in droves in Smile 2, a starry follow-up to the unexpected 2022 hit that is sure to have horror fans leaving theatres beaming. It expertly leans into the somewhat ridiculous elements of the first film to give fans a nail-biting, twisty exploration of that sinister grinning demon through a powerhouse lead performance.
★★★★
In cinemas now / Naomi Scott, Rosemarie Dewitt, Lukas Gage, Dylan Gelula, Ray Nicholson, Kyle Gallner / Dir: Parker Finn / Paramount Pictures / 18