“I love wearing your skin.”
In Smile 2, Pop star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) is making a successful comeback after a notorious drug addiction spiral. Said spiral ended when the car her boyfriend (Paul, played by Ray Nicholson) was driving with her in it crashed, killing him and nearly taking her life as well. Right when things start to look better, a stop by a high school friend-turned drug dealer’s place goes bad. He kills himself in front of Skye, passing the Smile monster on to her. Cursed and slowly going insane, Skye has to find a way to finally beat the Smile monster or die.
The first Smile was a popular but underwhelming film. With Smile 2, director/writer Parker Finn exceeds expectations. Here, he is let loose. The filmmaking on display is often aggressive and feels immediate. The cinematography by Charlie Sarroff and editing by Elliot Greenberg is stellar and trippy, effectively bringing us into the world of the Smile Monster. The score by Cristobal Tapia de Veer can veer into delicious Synth-y territory at the best of times and is certainly worth a listen on it’s own.
Kyle Gallner returns for a killer opening sequence, after which it’s the Naomi Scott show. We could discuss some supporting players, but there’s not much point since most get minor screen time. Miles Gutierrez-Riley deserves a call-out as Joshua, a friend of Skye’s. He manages to make the most out of his minimal screen time. Dylan Gelula is great and shows potential as Gemma, ex-best friend to Skye. Unfortunately, she’s literally only in three scenes. Luckily, Scott is so compelling as Skye that these small flaws are forgivable.
Naomi Scott previously played Jasmine in the Aladdin remake. She was one of the best parts of that film. Is it any surprise she's upped her game since then? Naomi Scott deserves every bit of praise for her work here. Her performance isn't just fearless, but also surprisingly physical. There are multiple dance sequences throughout where she rehearses for shows. Scott slays her choreography in these scenes. She also proves she’s got the pipes to be a Scream Queen. Scott’s Skye Riley is given a good backstory, and she is more likable than the protagonist in the first Smile was. Naomi Scott is Queen as Skye Riley, and she puts on one of the best performances of 2024.
Smile 2 has an incredibly strong first act, but it loses its footing just a tiny bit during acts 2 and 3. It starts out so strong and fast, that it’s hard to maintain that momentum for a full two hours. This isn't enough to knock Smile 2 any points, but it is noticeable. The third act also makes a questionable choice that will likely frustrate or even anger some fans.
The kills and gore on display in Smile 2 easily out-do anything found in the first Smile. The high school friend’s death (Lewis, played by Lukas Gage) is easily an unforgettable highlight. There is a lot of blood and a lot of gore throughout . There are also plenty of creepy smiling people stalking the corners of the film as well. If you came to Smile 2 looking for fun, old-fashioned, bloody, squirm-inducing horror… you’ve come to the right place.
Smile opened the doors wide for Parker Finn to really show us what he can do, and with Smile 2, he doesn’t disappoint. With this second outing, Finn puts the pedal to the metal and delivers a thrilling, thoughtful, freaky, wild, and fun film that continues the first Smile’s exploration of trauma hidden behind fake smiles. Everything here is better: the story, the score, the cinematography, the editing… It all adds up to a sequel that is infinitely better than the first film. You better believe Smile 2 is one of the best horror films of 2024. It will put a smile on your face.
4.5 STARS
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