Smile 2

微笑2

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score : -

Opening : 17 Oct 2024

Runtime : 127 mins

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Details ⋅ Review

Format(s) Available

DIGITAL

Rating	M18 Violence and Gore 暴力及血腥画面
Language	Englishwith Chinese subtitles
Genre	Horror, Supernatural
Director	Parker Finn
Cast	Naomi Scott, Rosemarie DeWitt, Kyle Gallner, Lukas Gage, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Peter Jacobson
Synopsis	About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.

REVIEWS

By InCinemas 16 Oct 2024

An elevated sequel with higher stakes and a captivating lead.

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Following the success of Smile (2022), writer-director Parker Finn is back to build on the world he’s created with yet another edge-of-your-seat, nerve-wracking horror. Starring Naomi Scott, Rosemarie DeWitt, Lukas Gage, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Peter Jacobson, Raúl Castillo, Dylan Gelula, and Ray Nicholson, as well as Kyle Gallner reprising his role from the first film.

Smile 2 starts off 6 days after the events of the first film, with Joel (Gallner) in a desperate attempt to pass on the curse to a drug dealer by killing another in front of him – as we’ve learned in the previous film is how to rid oneself of the Smile Entity. Unfortunately for Joel, his plan goes awry as he accidentally kills the second drug dealer in defence but he finds out someone else was in the room and saw everything, inadvertently passing on the curse to him instead. Joel is remorseful as he didn’t intend to hurt someone he didn’t think was deserving of it. He dies in his escape from the drug house, serving a beautifully gory scene that sets up the film’s title card.

We are then introduced to the sequel’s protagonist – famous pop star Skye Riley (a never better Scott) – making her first public appearance a year after a tragic accident she was involved in that took the life of her partner, Paul Hudson (a perfectly cast Nicholson). We learn that Skye had abused alcohol and drugs in the past and is supposedly staying clean since the incident.

It is soon revealed that she secretly meets with a Lewis (Gage) to procure drugs. Lewis turns out to be the guy who witnessed Joel’s murders and is currently suffering from the effect of the curse when Skye visits his home. He ultimately commits suicide in front of her but not before grinning at her with a most haunting smile, passing on the curse and leaving her mentally scarred.

It’s incredible how Finn connects his characters and creates a distinctive protagonist that elevates this sequel to greater heights with flashier scenes and higher stakes. The choice to feature a popular figure as the lead as opposed to the recluse in the first film sets both films apart despite sharing the same horror that haunts them, marking this film a standalone success in its own right.

Skye is visibly shaken and sees visions of Lewis and eventually the same eery smile on various strangers. We also see more of the night of her accident when she dreams and hallucinates. With her increasing hallucinations blending with reality, it’s hard to distinguish what really happened and didn’t, not only for the character but veiwers as well. Many scenarios are later revealed to merely be figments of her own imagination which blurs the lines further.

Like Rose in the first film, Skye also learns little but enough of the mythology behind the Entity. She attempts to be rid of it but ultimately succumbs to its control over her, giving us one of the most shocking film endings of the year.

Scott does a great job playing a fictional pop star with equally enjoyable radio-friendly hits, embodying the character as if its second nature to her. We wouldn’t have minded a totally different film if it still meant we get Scott in her pop star era! But as the film’s final girl, she also embodies a tormented soul like her life depends on it and emotes tremendously, allowing viewers to share her fears like its their own.

Finn has birthed a franchise that could span many sequels and outlive its creator, all for its faceless monster that doesn’t require contractual obligations with any one actor (like how Hugh Jackman would still probably be playing Wolverine till he’s 90.) Smile 2 makes a great addition to the growing franchise. Here’s hoping Finn will continue delivering fresh takes and know when to put a cork in it before the thrill starts to get old.

Prepare for similar upside down shots and multiple jump scares that Smile is known for but also bloodier and gorier kills that will keep you up at night.
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Smile 2