Smile 2

       There aren’t many certainties in life, other than death, taxes, but one you can also almost guarantee is a sequel to a successful horror film. With the release of Smile in 2022 and its setup, you knew you’d be seeing those pearly whites back on the big screen once again. Well, for all you fans of unsettling smiles, your time has come, and Parker Finn has returned with something bigger, and a little longer, to give you another reason to wish people would keep their smiles to themselves.

Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) is a very successful pop singer, but she’s been going through some things. Less than a year ago, she was involved in a car accident that killed her boyfriend and left her scarred, but now she’s ready to get back on stage. With the help of her mom (Rosemarie DeWitt), she seems to have all the support she needs, but as a recovering addict, she can’t get the painkillers she needs for the lingering back pain from the accident. That’s where her high school friend Lewis (Lukas Gage) comes in—he can get her those pills. But Lewis is having a bad week, and he’s about to pass that trouble on to Skye. After witnessing Lewis take his own life, Skye starts seeing things—people who aren’t there, and random strangers smiling at her. These hallucinations make Skye think she’s losing her mind. Fortunately, she’s contacted by an unknown number, and this mysterious person claims to know how to stop it. The only question is: does she believe him, or will she end up like everyone else?

Written and directed by Parker Finn, Smile 2 keeps its audience off balance as Finn takes everything that worked in the original and elevates it. The story puts a spotlight on the overwhelming weight of trauma and grief, especially grief. Finn’s narrative doesn’t stop there; it also explores the isolation that comes with fame, particularly for someone like Skye, and the lack of genuine human connections that accompany that loneliness. Horror fans need not worry—Finn brings the gore and scares, with Smile 2 ramping up the violence from the start and increasing the gore factor, something sure to make any horror fan grin.

Smile 2 is one of those sequels that outshines the original, finding ways to bring its themes to their full potential. While there are beats that will feel familiar from the first film, Finn has a trick up his sleeve that subverts those moments. That ace is Naomi Scott, who is spectacular as Skye. She embraces the campy aspects of the role, gradually descending into madness as the story unfolds. I’d also go so far as to say this isn’t just one of the best performances in horror this year, but one of the best performances in a film, period. Scott’s portrayal is a must-see.

The one thing that keeps Smile 2 from being great is its two-plus hour runtime, which feels every bit as long as it sounds. At times, the film can feel repetitive. However, despite these flaws, Smile 2 still delivers, thanks largely to Scott’s captivating performance. No matter what else you take away from the film, she alone will leave you smiling with glee and terror.