FILM REVIEW – Parker Finn’s debut film, Smile, was a chilling deep dive into psychological torment. Combining supernatural with psychological horror, it both terrified audiences and explored significant mental health themes. Now, with Smile 2, Finn revisits these unsettling ideas, though with a less powerful punch this time around. At least the well-timed scares remain, and Naomi Scott’s daring performance makes this one worth catching in theaters.

The stress of a pop star’s life is high enough without questioning one’s sanity. Smile 2 follows its predecessor’s success with an intense continuation that’s less innovative and smart. Finn returns as both writer and director, casting Naomi Scott as a singer trying to recover from addiction and her boyfriend’s tragic death, all while being haunted by sinister, smiling faces. The film initially provides chilling moments and insightful glimpses into the music industry, but eventually, Finn leans too heavily on horror clichés that the original skillfully avoided.

Producers and Distributors Definitely Have Reason to Smile

The original Smile grossed a remarkable $217 million worldwide in 2022 on a modest budget. If this sequel enjoys similar success, a new horror franchise might just be born, joining the ranks of Scream and Paranormal Activity—although the latter has been languishing for years.

Scott stars as Skye Riley, one of the biggest pop stars around, gearing up for her comeback tour after stints with alcohol and cocaine rehab. A year has passed since her actor boyfriend, Paul (Ray Nicholson), died in a car crash that she barely survived, and Skye’s determined to leave her nightmarish past behind. But a visit to her dealer friend Lewis (Lukas Gage) for some Vicodin reveals a terrifying, grinning Lewis, who takes his own life. Soon, Skye notices people around her wearing that same unnerving smile. Is she imagining things, or is she truly in danger?

Fans of Smile or its 2020 short film predecessor, Laura Hasn’t Slept, may already see where this is heading. One of Smile 2’s major issues is that viewers are a step ahead of Skye, who doesn’t realize she’s been cursed by a demon that transfers from person to person, marking each for death one week after their first encounter. While the original kept audiences engaged with this mystery, Smile 2 lacks the element of surprise, even though Finn’s stylish direction and dark humor remain.

Dark Descent That Stays Shallow

Initially, Smile 2 appears to tap into something fresh, setting its terrifying narrative within the high-stakes world of a celebrity pop star. Trying to meet the demands of her ambitious mother/manager, Elizabeth (Rosemarie DeWitt), Skye is under immense pressure to deliver a lavish, expensive comeback tour.

Finn’s collaborations with cinematographer Charlie Sarroff and editor Elliot Greenberg effectively create a polished, suffocating environment where Skye is constantly on display. Even before the smiles start haunting her, it’s clear she’s trapped in a lonely, dehumanizing existence.

A Smirk of an Ending

However, for this concept to fully resonate, Skye needed to be a more fleshed-out character. Scott, named a 2015 “Screen Star of Tomorrow,” has both the voice and presence to embody her superstar role. (And her American accent is flawless.) But even as Scott’s performance grows more desperate, Smile 2 fails to make Skye’s past trauma or current struggles feel compelling.

As Skye’s mind unravels, she’s forced to relive the horrific crash that took her boyfriend’s life. Yet the movie leans so heavily on predictable jump scares that it never delves into her inner turmoil. Scott hints at her character’s guilt, grief, and battle for sobriety—the smiling faces are clearly representations of these struggles—but as the terrors intensify, Skye’s journey feels less like a genuine battle with inner demons and more like a sequence of increasingly absurd visions. Smile 2 has its bold moments, but with Finn’s script veering into the implausible, this sequel offers neither genuine fear nor delight—just a slight shrug.

Smile 2 hit theaters on October 18, but if you’re interested, you might want to wait until it’s on streaming. It’s not quite worth the price of a ticket.

-Gergely Herpai, “BadSector”-