Movie Review: ‘Smile 2’ | Moviephone
Naomi Scott in ‘Smile 2’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Opening in theaters on October 18, ‘Smile 2’ looks to prove itself worthy on the horror sequel front by shaking up the cast of characters but keeping its core concept –– a terrifying, demonic curse that leaves its victims with rictus grins –– intact.
With one character crossing over to spread the monstrous parasite (Kyle Gallner’s Joel), this time the focus settles on Sky Riley (Naomi Scott), a Taylor Swift-like pop star already struggling with some serious issues of her own.
Related Article: Movie Review: ‘Smile’
Will ‘Smile 2’ make you happy?
Ray Nicholson in ‘Smile 2’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
How much you enjoy ‘Smile 2’ may depend on your appreciation for the 2022 original and the shift in how that movie derives much of its horror, your stomach for noisy jump scares.
Because make no mistake –– this movie has a lot of them, and while the first couple are effective, the law of diminishing returns quickly sets in. It’s also a bit disappointing that, despite potentially finding a new target, the sequel also suffers from feeling like a repeat of the first film, though we won’t spoil it here.
Still, Finn finds some interesting angles on the tropes we’ve come to expect from a ‘Smile’ film, and star Naomi Scott gives a truly committed performance, less scream queen and more trauma queen as Skye goes through a nightmare of very personal proportions.
Scripts and instructions
Naomi Scott and director Parker Finn on the set of ‘Smile 2’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
With Parker Finn returning to write and direct, he’s managed to maintain his vision from the first movie. The ethereal, unseen parasitic monster manages to make it into pop star Skye, and it’s her slow breakdown that gives the film its energy.
On the brink of a huge tour, Skye finds herself thrust into a situation where she doesn’t know what’s real and what’s not, and no one will believe her. The script goes to some interesting places, creating an appropriately creepy atmosphere and finding inventive ways to isolate Skye from those around her.
Director Parker Finn on the set of ‘Smile 2’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
As a director, Finn has a real knack for finding great angles, and the film looks great — even if he sometimes wants to close shots in reverse. One or two are a trademark style, but here their sheer numbers become worn.
But he gets good work out of the cast and keeps a careful hand on how it all develops. One sequence in particular, featuring Skye’s backup dancers (we won’t say exactly how) is one of the scariest scenes in a movie so far this year.
performance
Naomi Scott in ‘Smile 2’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Naomi Scott as Sky Riley
Scott has been better than in some of his past movies, and here he plays just the right amount of desperation and paranoia with Skye. Whether she’s glugging water to keep a handle on her past addictions.
While Skye isn’t entirely sympathetic, Scott imbues her with some much-needed personality, and you’re eager to see where her story goes.
Rosemary DeWitt as Skye’s mother
Rosemary DeWitt in ‘Smile 2’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
DeWitt has a slightly grateful character playing the pushy but charismatic stage mother who loves her daughter but also has a driving interest in keeping the cash flowing. Yet the actor does his best with a small role and is terrifyingly believable when Skye begins to see increasingly dark visions in the movie.
Peter Jacobson as Maurice
Peter Jacobson in ‘Smile 2’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
As a character with a connection to one of the entity’s past victims, Morris has a personal stake in taking him down –– and may come up with a way to do it. Although Jacobson is mostly tasked with delivering the exposition, he does it well and is believable.
Supporting cast
Miles Gutierrez relays in ‘Smile 2’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Most of the rest of the cast play small supporting roles, but a few make an impact. Dylan Gelula is one of Skye’s friends, who became estranged from her for a year or so after the pop star was seriously injured in a car accident, then plunged into drugs and alcohol. There is a sparky interplay between the two women and their shared history is aptly revealed through the dialogue alone.
Miles Gutierrez-Reilly also does a good job as Jacob, one of Skye’s assistants and her mother who provides most of the laughs with which Finn expresses horror. And spare a thought for the various, mostly unpredictable people who must sport wide, menacing grins as various incarnations of the demonic presence.
final thought
(Right) Naomi Scott in ‘Smile 2’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Although it tries to play a bit with the arrangement, Finn plays mostly the hits here, although ‘Smile’ works with a nice line of understanding. It’s not a perfect horror movie, relying on lazy scare tactics at times, but it’s a worthwhile follow-up to the original and has a nice line of self-aware laughs to keep things interesting.
While we won’t directly discuss how it ends, the ending raises some interesting questions for where the world of ‘Smile’ might go next — and we’ll be interested to see how the writer/director figures himself out. The corner he has seemingly painted himself into.
‘Smile 2’ gets 7 out of 10 stars.
“That’s the last thing you’ll ever see.”
Showtimes and tickets
About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Sky Riley begins encountering increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the growing… read the plot
What is the story of ‘Smile Two’?
About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) begins encountering increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by mounting horror and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to confront her dark past in order to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.
Who is acting in ‘Smile 2’?
Paramount Pictures presents a Temple Hill production of ‘Smile 2,’ a Parker Finn film starring Naomi Scott.
