Say cheese. Two years ago, Parker Finn scared the living daylights out of audiences with his hit horror movie Smile. A feature film debut grossing $217.4 million on a $17 million budget? Not bad at all. He returns to this series with Smile 2. But if there’s anything Joker: Folie á Deux taught us, it’s that just because a movie made a ton of money the first time, lightning doesn’t always strike twice. While we have yet to see how this sequel will fare at the box office, one thing is for sure: Parker Finn is a phenomenal filmmaker who has outdone himself.
Smile 2 is one of the best horror sequels ever made. Making a sequel to a successful horror movie is never an easy feat. Even the good ones are not as good as the original. But Smile 2 defies every expectation by being just as excellent as the first movie. Some may even say it’s better. For me, this film matches the quality by telling a new story with the same curse. The film starts six days after the end of the original, with Joel (Kyle Gallner) trying to get rid of the curse. This opening scene is breathtaking, all filmed in one long shot. There are complicated camera moves here, and it’s fantastic.
We meet Skye Riley, played by Naomi Scott. Skye is a famous pop musician, and we quickly learn her backstory. She’s instantly a compelling character as she is on the verge of a career comeback after a devastating incident the year before. The idea of making the protagonist a famous musician is a risk because these people are challenging for most audience members to relate to. You can sometimes feel a disconnect between her struggles and your own, but Finn’s script grounds her whenever it can.
Like the first movie, Finn spends a lot of time developing the protagonist. The sequel focuses almost entirely on new characters, so we have to care about everyone early on. Immersing yourself in these people is easy because the music sounds authentic. Scott is a talented musician, so she brings her excellent singing voice to Skye. She also has a flawless American accent while delivering some of the most intense scenes of the year. Her work in this movie is astonishing, as none of it looks easy.
Skye is afflicted with the same curse as Rose from the first movie. This is where the film risks being a retread. However, Skye is a famous pop star, so the stakes are more significant. She has to maintain her public image, so there’s much more at stake if she acts out publicly. Unfortunately for her, the entity is out to make her life a living hell. What makes the Smile movies so fantastic is that they are very psychological. This film is structured in a way where terrible things happen to Skye, but we’re constantly second-guessing whether it’s real or not.
I love horror movies that scare you by ruining the protagonist’s life. Both Smile movies do this, but they do it differently. Another wise decision is that since Skye is new to the curse, she doesn’t know how to get rid of it like Rose did. She needs to maintain her career while crumbling on the inside, and she soon finds no easy way to eliminate this curse. It’s tragic to see her struggle with it. This screenplay pushes the concept further than the original while offering all the scares you would expect.
Finn handles the scares perfectly. He’s a masterful horror director, and I can’t wait to see what else he does in his first-look deal with Paramount. Like the first movie, his jump scares are perfectly crafted. He builds so much dread and suspense. One example is a scene where Skye watches a video on her phone. The video keeps zooming into one dark area, and all you can do is lean back in your seat and brace yourself for what you may see. He knows the right moments to pull tension out of pure silence. Then, once we’re at our most quiet, he’s there to give you a free heart attack.
Smile 2 builds on the insanity of the first film by being an intense, gory sequel done right. Scott’s performance is nothing short of mesmerizing. The supporting cast does a superb job, and Finn’s dialogue feels organic for every character. No one should understate just how good Finn is at writing many characters (primarily female characters) and allowing them to all feel like different people with distinct voices. While there is one predictable element in the ending, there are many moments where Finn pulls the rug out from under you. This film will leave you gagged and gasping for air, and it’s one of the finest horror movies of 2024.
SCORE: 8/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 8 equates to “Great.” While there are a few minor issues, this score means that the art succeeds at its goal and leaves a memorable impact.
Disclosure: ComingSoon attended a press screening for our Smile 2 review.