Smile

This was a movie that I was very hesitant about because the premise looked very similar to Truth or Dare (2018) and I really hate that movie. However, I started to hear some good things about this movie from Fantastic Fest 2022 and that gave me some hope, so I decided to want the movie and Smile (2022) was easily one of the biggest surprises of 2022.

Positives for Smile (2022): Unlike Truth or Dare (2018), this movie actually makes the evil smile gimmick work. I've gotta give props to writer-director Parker Finn making this gimmick truly scary at times. I really enjoyed the main performance by Sosie Bacon as Rose Cotter and yes she is the daughter of Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick. I also really liked the supporting cast with Kyle Gallner, Jessie T. Usher, Kal Penn and Judy Reyes. There are some effective uses of gore in the movie and it adds to the terrifying nature of the smile in this movie. And finally, the camera work in this movie is spectacular especially given that was Parker Finn's feature film directorial debut.

Negatives for Smile (2022): Despite tlme praising this movie, it feels like other horror movies that I've seen in the past like Ringu (1998), It Follows (2014) and of course Truth or Dare (2018), so there isn't anything new to this movie with the exception of the execution. And finally, the movie's ending was a bit of a downer for me.

Overall, Smile (2022) is one of the better horror movies that I initially wouldn't cared about, but instead I ended up loving this movie a lot and I can't wait for Smile 2 (2024).

Went to watch this movie with no prior expectations, or even having watched the teasers. The plot was unique, the production very nice. All of the cast did a great job at acting, especially the main actress. Can't wait to check out more of her work. There were a decent amount of solid jump scares throughout the movie, and I'm not one to easily get scared. The movie also had a very omnious feeling to it right from the start, which greatly elevated the experience of watching it. All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by this movie, and consider it one of the better horror movies I've watched this year!

One of very few horror movies that managed to surprise me this year. When the trailer came out, I thought it was gonna be another dumb, incompetent mess.

I was proved wrong.

From the very start, everything from the directing, performances to the cinematography and sound design were absolute stunning. How a low budget managed this feat was beyond me but the film was simply mesmerizing to look at.

The horror was quite effective with jumpscares and dreadful moments, albeit some cheap ones but not that distracting. They were able to build up the tension so well and never intended to tone it down right till the very end. The plot was simple enough to interlink all relevant characters to make me care about them, although some could complain 90% of the characters were just filler and I might agree with that. However, the protagonist was good enough to carry the whole show.

One thing that may not sit well with a lot of audience was the use of mental illness. Smile handled it decently but don't expect Oscar worthy exposition. And no, it wasn't exactly the main theme so try not to quit halfway through because there would be surprises by the last act of the film.

Give it a go. I'd say it was well worth the time for horror fans like myself. This was not just some Annabelle or Insidious sequels but something more.

Very decent horror movie kinda dating back to the mid/late 2000s. If you enjoyed the Ring, Hereditary, It follows, you will very much love this.

If you're a horror movie fan you can probably see the ending coming BUT at least it's well executed.

Crazy camera angles, acting is good, definitely had me anxious watching threw my hands a few times (jump scares) it's also VERY analytical with huge PSTD, clinical diagnosis, mental characteristics in different characters

Some cons were the extended background information they would give which made the movie feel alittle more longer

There would most likely be a sequel or two but I doubt they'd be as good as this

Would I watch again? Probably not they heavy graphic suicide scenes (I get it that's part of the plot) BUT it's well worth a watch at least once.

You never know when it's your turn, to watch another being squirm, as they shuffle off their coil, passing on to you turmoil, which will overwhelm and steal, all your passion and your zeal, just no way to grin and bear it, there's no escape, until you wear it.

A reasonably original take on a very generic horror theme with an often used metaphor, but the performance from Sosie Bacon is noteworthy and convincing, as is the escalation, with one or two genuine jump scare moments ratcheting up the tension and keeping you engaged enough to hope for more. The special effects are fine and the potential for parts 2, 3 and more in the near future left beaming right back at you as the titles role.