'Smile 2' review: A worthy, entertaining, thrilling sequel
How can a smile—one of the warmest things in the world—be turned into something so sinister that it shakes you up from within? This question is at the heart of Parker Finn's extremely engaging and fast-paced Hollywood films Smile and Smile 2. The worthy sequel picks up from where the first part concluded and is just as absorbing and immersive as its predecessor.
A pop singer is the victim this time
Smile 2 opens six days after Smile, and the demonic entity—which feeds on trauma, and passes the curse to whoever witnesses the death of its victim —is well and thriving. It latches to Skye (Naomi Scott), a singer returning to work after a disastrous accident that left her injured and killed her boyfriend. Will Skye survive or will the demon claim another life?
You can never look away from the screen
Smile 2 wants to scare you, unsettle you, make you toss and turn in your seat, and disturb you as much as possible. It does all that and more, as if challenging you: At what point can you look away? Special mention to Ray Nicholson, who plasters such an unnerving smile that it'll haunt me in the days to come!
The opening sequence expertly sets the film's tone
Unlike the first part, which took some time to establish the characters, this one dives right into the story and breakneck action takes centerstage from the first scene (when it finally ends, it jolts you). The opening scene also joins the two movies, so you feel right at home when you see a familiar face in the first scene itself.
Scott does justice to a difficult role
The first time we meet Skye, we can instantly perceive that there's more to her than meets the eye. And then, sure enough, the camera zooms in on her often, breaking down her veneer. She is played masterfully by Scott, making you feel her fright, especially when she runs frantically to find an escape or struggles to breathe, trapped by the entity.
The shock elements really surprise you
Smile 2's biggest strength lies in its ability to fool you with moments of calm and then pull the rug from under your feet. It's the kind of horror film you are keen to watch more than once, intrigued to see what you missed the first time. However, if you can't stomach gore, I suggest looking away from the screen a few times.
Skye's characterization feels real and authentic
The best horror films don't simply rely on jumpscares but focus on character development and humanizing the characters (like Mike Flanagan's shows), and this is where Smile 2 excels too. We closely see Skye's breakdown; she moves from living in absolute denial to completely descending into madness, and her pain is so real, so palpable, that in some scenes, we almost physically feel it.
Can you differentiate between the real and imagined sequences?
You stay immersed in Finn's world because he ensures that you aren't merely a spectator, but also a participant in the sinister events. Smile 2 teases you throughout and wants you to pause and wonder—Which parts are real? Which ones are a hallucination? You think you've it all figured out, but then it turns the tables, and the joke's on you!
The parts that could have been a lot better
Despite all its merits, Smile 2 also struggles a few times. Some scenes are needlessly stretched out and don't add much to the film, and Skye's breakdown starts feeling repetitive after a point. Also, Nicholson, who plays Skye's dead boyfriend, is criminally underutilized, even though he fits well into the story and could have found more representation in Skye's hallucinatory episodes.
Watch it in theaters; 3/5 stars
Smile 2 works on multiple levels, even if you aren't a horror connoisseur. Regardless of whether you've watched the first part, it will draw you in with its insane, shocking twists (most of which unravel in the second half), and Scott's performance will ensure you never get bored. The horror truly comes alive on the big screen. Let the demon in.
