Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) is a stunningly beautiful and talented superstar, a global pop music icon.
She is also a recovering drug addict healing from a deadly car accident a year ago which cost her boyfriend his life. But now on the straight and narrow, sober and ready to dive back into the spotlight, Skye is about to embark on a new world tour.
Still damaged by the emotional and physical trauma of the wreck, Skye struggles with her show’s elaborate dance choreography. She turns to her trusty drug dealer to help numb the pain but upon arrival, he is acting even more unhinged and paranoid than usual. Unbeknownst to him, he has become the latest in a “chain-curse”, doomed to face ungodly terrors, followed by a violent suicide. Now, by complete accident, he has unintentionally passed the curse on to Skye herself.
Already overwhelmed by the stress of a very public life, she is pushed to go on past exhaustion by her mother and manager, Elizabeth Riley (Rosemarie Dewitt). Soon, Skye is plagued by ghostly visions, terrifying hallucinations and blackouts from this wakeless nightmare that she finds herself in. As the symptoms escalate and become more horrific, something is feeding on Skye‘s fear and pain. With everyone around only interested in her fulfilling her obligations as a pop sensation, Skye‘s mind begins to break. Will she be able to break the curse before it breaks her?
Based on his short film, writer-director Parker Finn created a smash hit with his debut horror feature, Smile (2022). A simple premise, but one audiences found themselves blown away by, thanks largely to Finn‘s keen eye for thrills and stylish presentation. Now with this follow up, Finn brings us a bigger, bolder, bloodier and BETTER movie, following straight on from the previous film’s cliffhanger.
While I was quite impressed by the visceral packaging of Smile (2022), I was disappointed Finn‘s refreshing creativity didn’t also come across in his script. The movie was still a standout in a sea of teen friendly, bloodless and bland thrillers. But its ‘chain-letter curse’ storyline felt derivative of countless others, going through the same usual plot points, beat for beat.
So, I am thrilled to say that Smile 2 takes that storyline and does so much more with it. Finn seems as comfortable as ever as a director but he injects much desired complexity into his narrative. Smile 2 follows a deeply troubled and broken protagonist with Skye, someone with a lot more going on than simply being the victim of a supernatural evil.
The creeping fear, growing anxiety and sense of impending doom works much more as a metaphor this second time around. Themes of addiction, mental health, survivor’s guilt, and the impossible standards celebrities go through, are all explored here. You get the real sense that despite millions of people worshipping her and her hundreds of staff depending on her, Skye Riley feels truly alone and it’s terrifying. All the while, she has to smile and look like the star she is, as if nothing is worrying her.
Another aspect of Smile (2022) which worked well was the terrific performance by Sosie Bacon, a woman gradually losing her mind. Naomi Scott effortlessly picks up that baton and runs with it in Smile 2. Skye is already in dire straits when we meet her, but the complexities of her life mixed with the ever growing insanity and monstrous visions push her even further over the edge.
Once again, Finn creates a tension filled thrill ride with a consistent uneasy feeling punctuated by effective scares throughout. Twisting, rotating camera angles, prolonged single take shots, and empty space have you on the edge of your seat and waiting for somebody to jump out. Along with an increased level of stomach turning blood and gore effects, the film easily keeps up with this Halloween’s other breakout horror sequel, Terrifier 3.
Smile 2 has accomplished what few other sequels have, providing a film which matches and in many ways surpasses its predecessor. Even fewer horror movies can accomplish this, making the achievement all the more remarkable. Smile 2 is a brilliant sophomore effort, proving Parker Finn as no mere one hit wonder. This movie is sure to please audiences this Halloween season.