On October 17, the psychological horror film about the supernatural «Smile 2», which is a sequel to the extremely successful horror film «Smile», released in 2022. In the review below, we’ll tell you whether the plot about ominously smiling people can scare you this time.
Genre psychological horror movie about the supernatural
Director Parker Finn
Starring Naomi Scott, Kyle Gallner, Lucas Gage, Peter Jacobson, Drew Barrymore, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Raul Castillo, Dylan Gelula, Rosemary DeWitt, Ray Nicholson
Premiere movie theaters
Year of issue 2024
Website IMDb, official website
A year ago, the world-famous pop star Skye Riley was a drug addict, and she was involved in a terrible accident that killed her boyfriend with Jack Nicholson’s facial features. After recovery and rehabilitation, the singer is now planning a big comeback, supported by a large-scale tour. She has forgotten about drugs and is determined to seize her second chance. She still needs a dose of Vicodin after exhausting physical activity, as the injuries she sustained in the car accident are still showing.
Just before the tour, the heroine witnesses the very strange death of her «dealer» Lewis: at first, he behaves inappropriately, as if afraid of someone’s presence. And then — ominously bares his teeth, takes a heavy metal disk from the barbell, and turns his face into a bloody mess with a few powerful blows. After that, Skye’s life literally turns upside down, which is clearly hinted at by the steep camera speeds present here.
In 2014, David Robert Mitchell released the outstanding «It Follows», adding to the plot about a mysterious entity, which this time «is transmitted» sexually, social commentary on the importance of safe sex. In other words, Parker Finn — is not a pioneer in the genre, but a worthy successor to its cult predecessors. It doesn’t matter that the local heroes have six days instead of seven after the «infection, and they don’t need to take anyone to bed to pass on the curse.
«Smile 2» has become that rare example of a sequel that is significantly superior to the original in many respects. More horror, more bizarre visions and blood, higher stakes and, ultimately, a larger scale. The only thing missing is the effect of some kind of novelty, but that’s not a big deal, given how well the film is realized in its genre.
The story begins with a logical bridge between the first and second parts — Joel, played by Kyle Gallner, is trying to transfer the essence to some bad guys, but the aforementioned Lewis is there at the wrong time. The whole scene is shot in one shot, without editing seams, and its spectacular climax with a bloody trace on the asphalt in the form of a smile evokes thoughts like «well, if they’re just warming up, it’s scary to imagine what will happen next».
In fact, the expressive form is felt everywhere here: an abundance of close-ups (including Naomi Scott’s frightened face) that can intrigue better than any monster, bizarre camera turns, angles and shots, sound work, infernal choreography of the creature, a successful game with false audience expectations, etc. Even the most boring and simple screamers — even they work.
«Smile 2» is comfortably situated somewhere between «The Ring» and «It Follows» — the former takes its cue from the latter’s attempts to evoke orphanhood, while the latter takes its cue from suspense, mystery, and hints of allegorical interpretation.
While watching the movie, I keep thinking about the interpretation of what is happening on the screen. And it consists in a clear demonstration of the price of fame. In other words, every huge success will definitely have another, far from rosy side of the coin. And this can manifest itself in the smallest of things, such as such a nuisance as meeting an inadequate fan. What can we say about the extraordinary responsibility when everyone expects something from you — numerous fans, sponsors, and even your own mom-manager.
All these thoughts only intensify during the finale, when the creators give us a natural «The Substance» with its critique of societal demands and expectations; however, as in the case of Coralie Fudge’s sensational body gore, this course of events spoils the impression a bit.
In both literal and figurative senses, Naomi Scott shines the brightest here: in addition to giving a truly great performance, she was not too lazy to perform all the songs (the album by Skye Riley can be listened to on well-known music platforms — YouTube Music, Apple Music, Spotify). Overall, the movie was a success. And fans of the creepy genre should definitely leave the theater with a playful smile on their faces.
