Parker Finn returns to the world of Smile to expand on the lore and the ideas established in the first film, as a good sequel should. What makes Smile 2 stand out as a sequel is that it isn’t just a rehashing of the first film. In Smile 2, Naomi Scott portrays a pop star who is attempting to make a comeback after dealing with the major loss of her boyfriend and addiction. So when she starts to spiral after coming into contact with the “Smile Demon,” it uses her grief and battle with addiction against her.
He’s Back
The film opens strong with a continuation from Smile, blessing us once again with the presence of Kyle Gallner as Joel, who now has to pass the curse along that he received at the end of the first film. Not only does this opening pack a punch, but it is also violent and extremely well-shot. I can’t help but think that the effects team had a lot of fun during this sequence. Joel chooses to pass the demonic virus to a drug dealer. However, an unexpected bystander named Lewis (Lukas Gage) accidentally contracts the infection instead. The next time we see Lewis, he is smiling at the pop star Skye Riley. She tries to score pain medicine from him, which leads to her contracting the demon as well.
The Sickness
Now infected by the “Smile Demon,” Skye feels like she is losing her mind. Like Rose in the first Smile, Skye starts seeing those around her smiling at her. Then the haunting escalates, taking over her life bit by bit, shredding her already fragile mental state. From seeing her dead boyfriend Paul (Ray Nicholson) at an event to a stalker fan finding his way inside her apartment, Skye is slowly tortured to the point where her mother, Elizabeth (Rosemarie DeWitt), and her assistant Josh (Miles Gutierrez-Riley), check her into a facility where she can rest and take a step back from all of the demanding expectations. And Naomi Scott portrays this character flawlessly. You can see the fear etched on her face and empathize with her determination to escape the grips of the demonic force that is working overtime to drive her to her end.
We believe what we see is happening to her because she embodies Skye Riley well. So when the threads of the story unraveled at the end, I asked myself why I was so invested in this over two-hour-long joyride, only for it all to come crashing down with a gotcha! moment. As one could have guessed, Skye Riley finds herself on stage at the film’s end film. And because Gen Z can’t attend a concert without their phones out, the world is watching what unfolds.
Smile for the Camera
Smile 2 has such vital components that make it an enjoyable watch. In a car scene, Finn clearly had fun flexing his camera skills. And I know you’ve probably already heard about the dancers in her apartment. I’ve got to give it to Finn, though, because we’ve seen countless horror films that handle the same themes, and Finn adds a creative spin to provide us with something fresh and exquisitely gory at times. There are a few cheap jump scares, but Finn’s use of sound and clever visuals are impressive and worth noting. Finn knows how to give us relatable horror stories, and I look forward to seeing what he does next. Smile 2 is available to rent or buy on video-on-demand platforms.
