Smile 2 is a meaner, gorier and more shocking sequel that takes what worked about the original film and cranks it up to the next level with unforgettable jump scares and set pieces that under the expert direction of Parker Finn and led by a glorious Naomi Scott, is guaranteed to scare up one deadly exciting trip to the movies.

 

With one sinister smile, Smile became an unexpected box office hit back in 2022 and scared up a frenzy. Thanks to the film’s unforgettable viral marketing featuring people standing up and smiling in public places and some terrifying jump scares in the film, the film quickly proved to be a hit for Paramount after being originally slated for a Paramount+ release. And just in time for Halloween, audiences are set to re-enter the world of Smile. Once again written and directed by Parker Finn, Smile 2 lets Finn hone his craft and unleash a terrifying vision of horror that not only builds upon the ideas he played with in the first film, but outshines them at every turn. It’s an ambitious sequel that ups the gore, madness and scares that comes alive thanks to Naomi Scott’s captivating lead performance as Skye Riley, that confirms Finn was not a one hit wonder with the first film even if the story structure is once again formulaic.

 

Having established the rules of this world in the first film, Smile 2 hits the ground running and spends less time developing the lore of the smile demon, instead creating a compelling character piece centered around the film’s lead character Skye Riley. Unlike Sosie Bacon’s Rose in the first film who had a group of concerned people trying to help her, Skye has the exact opposite. Building the film around a pop star about to embark on a big comeback world tour, Finn isolates Skye in the high pressure entertainment industry where she is seen as a dollar amount on a corporate spreadsheet and not an individual. Her cries for help are ignored, her fragile mental state that would cause any rational individual great concern is written off as fatigue, helping to create a perfect playground for both Finn and his smile demon to wreak havoc in. Themes of exploitation within the entertainment industry build Skye’s character arc, the flip opposite of the entertainment industry exploitation spectrum we saw explored just last month in Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance, while Skye’s losing grip on what is reality and what is the smile demon keeping audiences on their toes as they are unsure if they can trust what they are seeing is real or not. Even with the general structure of the story being very similar to the formulaic horror structure of the first film and some predictable twists you will call from the outset, Finn’s determination to one up himself makes for one thrilling watch as he builds towards that final scene, where he not only truly out does himself with a shocking finale, but sets up an interesting new direction should we get a third film in this franchise.

But, Smile 2 is a horror movie, and audiences are not showing up for the film’s story. They are showing up to scare themselves half to death, and Finn accomplishes exactly that… and then some. From that heart pounding one shot opener, it is clear that Finn means business with the set pieces in this film. They are gorier, more disturbing, and an expertly framed with long continuous shots and intentional lighting and placement of objects and characters to instill fear in viewers before revealing what Skye can see, all displaying Finn’s development as a director, helping to create some of the most unnerving moments you will see on the big screen this year. Each set piece gets wilder, once again placing an emphasis on practical effects when possible, all building towards the film’s shocking conclusion. It’s an ending that is going to have audiences talking, because not only does Finn pull off an ambitious final set piece that will have general audiences speechless and horror fans pumping their fists in the air, but he solidifies himself as an exciting voice in the horror genre. Needless to say, his remake of Possession that he is working on with Robert Pattinson cannot come soon enough!