Smile 2

"Smile 2" is a good film that, without being a masterpiece, manages to tell a solid story of horror and suspense. Its predecessor "Smile" is an overrated film, but this sequel improves in many aspects of the script. The cinematography is good, especially in those pop music atmosphere scenes. The makeup effects are realistic and gory. The performances are good, highlighting Naomi Scott and Kyle Gallner. Director Parker Finn demonstrates maturity in his cinematographic style, obviously surpassing himself. The soundtrack is gloomy and accentuates the suspense in several scenes. It is worth mentioning that the scene of Sky's apartment being invaded by characters with devilish smiles will become an iconic scene in horror movies. "Smile 2" is one of those sequels that surpasses the first film.

I did not have the highest hopes for 'Smile 2'. It seemed like a concept that had one film in it and nothing more. How wrong I was. This film took an above average horror film in the original, and said we are going to better it in every way.

I mean don't get me wrong, it's still popcorn horror, but it's popcorn horror of the highest quality. Jump-scares rarely get anything out of me these days. This one had be jump out of my chair multiple times. I do have to make a note on this however - these did seem like the loudest jump-scares I've ever heard in a cinema. Even when the fright didn't work the sheer noise was capable of being quite startling. Not entirely sure if that was just the volume in my cinema or the sound mixing.

I worried when we were introduced to the lead character, and she was a pop-star, that it was going to be hard to side with her. Pop-stars in real life haven't exactly made themselves the most likeable of people over the last couple of decades. Her character was quite well created though. She was flawed, but she was also very personable and easy to side with. It helped that we got a terrific performance out of Naomi Scott it has to be said.

A good opening scene in horror movie has become a lost art. It's so important to get your audience hooked from the get go and set the standard. Many modern horror films forget about this, but not this film. The opening scene was great and really kicked the film off on the right note.

This film is pretty long for a horror film, coming in at over 2 hours. That's an ambitious ask to keep the quality up for that long and I kept wondering when it was all going to fall apart. It never did though and it even stuck the ending which I was really worried it wasn't going to do. I never thought I'd be writing this, but 'Smile 2' is going to be a contender for one of the best horror films of 2024. 9.5/10.

Parker Finn's feature debut 'Smile' was a tense horror that made commentary about the devastating effects of trauma. Featuring striking visuals and production design, alongside an atmospheric score, the film was both compelling and creepy, following a psychiatrist who becomes convinced an unseen entity is stalking her after witnessing a violent incident. Boasting a strong central performance from Sosie Bacon, 'Smile' performed well at the box office, taking in $217.4 million on a $17 million budget.

Although critical opinion was mixed, only months after its release, Finn was thinking about a sequel, noting "there is still a lot of interesting stuff to explore in the world of Smile..." Fast forward two years, and 'Smile 2' is upon us. This time around, the action follows pop singer Skye Riley, who starts experiencing increasingly disturbing events on the cusp of a world tour. Forced to face her dark past, can Skye regain control of her life before it spirals out of control?

'Smile 2' is a very rare beast: a sequel that is arguably better than its predecessor. As in the first, the theme of trauma is cleverly interwoven into the narrative, alongside which themes of control, psychosis, grief and addiction are made the lynchpins upon which the horror revolves. Riley must battle both her internal demons as well as the 'smile creature,' never sure what is reality or fantasy. This makes for both a compelling and unpredictable ride, as Finn, making excellent use of both visual and audio jump-scares, takes one into the grinning heart of terror.

Menace lurks in the corner of every frame, waiting to give you a sharp shock. From the brilliantly frenetic opening to the barnstormer of an ending, the film fires on all cylinders, never letting up. Finn's characterisation is astute, and his narrative surprisingly funny; it's a horror with pitch-black comedy at its core: in contrast to the overwhelming bleakness of its predecessor; 'Smile 2' has a bit more to offer viewers.

The film reunites Finn with the majority of the crew from the original, including cinematographer Charlie Sonoff. His work on the first film created an unnerving atmosphere of unpredictable instability; as it does once again. Sarnoff's use of lighting effectively generates contrast and mood, while his framing of images heightens the narrative's suspense. Similarly, he captures Riley's performances with aplomb, lending them authenticity. Although the camera might be flipped upside-down to create an ominous effect one too many times, overall, Sarnoff's stellar work compounds the impact of proceedings; and is creepily captivating.

Moreover, Cristobal Tapia de Veer's score generates a disturbing ambience, imbuing the film with a raw, horrific power. While the songs written for the Riley character are fairly generic, they are performed well (and are considerably better than the similar tunes written for the Lady Raven character in M. Night Shyamalan's recent 'Trap').

Lester Cohen's detailed production adds an element of realism, grounding the film despite the fantastical horror of its narrative. In addition, Alexis Forte's costume design effectively contributes to the personalities of the characters, particularly Riley's. Her work for Riley's on-stage costumes is particularly impressive. Furthermore, Elliot Greenberg's editing establishes for the film a steady pace, meaning- even at over two hours- it never drags.

Naomi Scott stars as Riley, delivering a powerful, compelling performance that is the stand-out of her career thus far- as well as, perhaps, the stand-out of the year. Scott portrays Riley's multifaceted, flawed personality with nuance, realistically capturing her internal struggles, adding depth to the character. Scott's portrayal of Riley's fear and resilience in the face of mounting horrors is both believable and gripping. An immensely versatile talent, Scott has all the qualities of a great scream queen, as well as brilliant comedic-timing and a strong singing voice. She is- to put it simply- absolutely terrific.

Her supporting cast don't let her down. Rosemarie DeWitt does stellar work as Riley's mother and manager Elizabeth, bringing complexity to the role. Dylan Gelula is commendable as Gemma, Riley's best friend, while Lukas Gage and Ray Nicholson both impress as Lewis, her drug dealer, and Paul, her ex-boyfriend, respectfully. In addition, Kyle Gallner briefly reprises his role as Joel from the first film, doing great work, and Iván Carlo is fantastically creepy as Riley's number-one-fan (somewhat comically named 'man with bad skin').

In conclusion, Parker Finn's 'Smile 2' is an improvement over its predecessor in nearly every regard. Both frightening and fun, the narrative engages and exhilarates, while Finn's characterisation is impactful. Boasting atmospheric sound design and cinematography, as well as fastidious editing from Elliot Greenberg; it is hard to fault. Moreover, star Naomi Scott is marvellous and her co-stars don't disappoint. In short, 'Smile 2' is sure to leave you grinning.

Naomi Scott absolutely outdid herself in this role. I didn't know she was THIS talented before-that was my mistake. I loved the movie, and I was really on edge while watching it, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The storyline is more successful than the first movie. Some might say it's a repeat of the first film, and to some extent, they're right. Does this movie offer something new? Do we learn anything new? The answer is no. But it's incredibly enjoyable and tense, giving us two hours of gripping entertainment. Also, I loved how this time they focused more on the psychological aspects. Great music and costumes. The only thing that bothered me was how much the film toyed with our minds. The fact that some events in the movie don't actually happen, and that it is hard to tell what's real and what's happening in the character's mind is fun at first, but after a while, it gets tiring. Great ending. Looks like a new movie is on the way. I'll be waiting. <3.

Smile 2 delivers a few decent scares, but it fails to bring anything fresh to the table. The story feels repetitive, and the ending is both confusing and anticlimactic, as if it was abruptly cut short. The film's bloated runtime only adds to the frustration, dragging out a narrative that could have been much tighter.

However, Naomi Scott's stunning performance is the highlight, infusing the film with emotional depth and intensity. While she shines, the rest of the movie feels like an unnecessary sequel, more of the same but stretched too thin. It's mediocre at best, offering little beyond what the first film already accomplished.