Smile 2 Review

When I started this blog, I didn't foresee the number of horror movie reviews I would do, even though it is a genre that has become a firm favourite. I love nothing more than watching a horror film on its opening night with a packed audience, and the new movies of this genre have been exceptional. Smile 2 is nothing short of this. 

When the first Smile came out in 2022, it took everyone by surprise mainly with how it was received at the box office, which took $217 million globally. It was also a unique concept for a horror to take a conventional subject such as smiling and turn it into a sinister, demon-like creature which causes people to loose their minds and ultimately end their lives in front of someone making them the next person to possess this curse. 

With the success of the first film for first-time director Parker Finn, he now has the opportunity to create a bolder, grander story which takes place only six days after the first film ended. The story takes place in a lavish environment with more antics at stake, as the person who has taken on this smiling demon is Skye Riley, played by Naomi Scott, is a troubled pop star who witnesses her dealer brutally kill himself in front of her, starting her descent into madness. She is at the height of her fame after coming back from a year of rehab and recovery and being taken over by this possession is terrorising her career and her relationships with her mother and ex-best friend. 

This film does deliver in the aim of a bigger and better sequel, even though it is a lot flashier than the first film, it does not take away from the story and the scares. Even though there are lots of conventional horror tropes used, like the jump scare, darkness and silence, they are all used very well and do genuinely terrify you. The reason why they are executed so well is due to Scott's performance and her descent into madness, which makes you feel both terrified and sorry for her. Going into this film, I heard great things about her performance and that it is one of the best of the year, and now seeing it, I completely agree, she gives everything, and it requires a lot from Scott as her character is a popstar and we see these extensive dance sequences which make the audience truly believe she is a popstar at the peak of her career. 

Overall, Smile 2, which I thought would be a good time at the cinema, turned out to be a well-crafted sequel and, at the helm, an exceptional performance which is worthy of a conversation about her being a serious contender at the awards this season - however, as the Academy still has a bias about genre work,
this will unlikely happen but has worked in the sequel's favour and has created hype which it sure lives up too.