Smile 2
Show business is a real killer in this horror sequel
Naomi Scott doesn't have a lot to smile about in this fun sequel.
Pop star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) is about to embark on a comeback world tour. Her promising career was put on hold after a painful car crash, but now she’s back and better than ever!
…or that’s what the media blitz would have you believe.
The truth is, Skye is in near constant pain after almost losing her life and needing several surgeries. Dancing is torture on her still-healing body. Her memories are torture for her still-healing mind. But in spite of that, her mom-ager, Elizabeth (Rosemarie DeWitt), is pressuring her to get back out on stage before she loses her earning potential.
All of this pressure leads Skye to break her sobriety and head to her former drug dealer for a fix. Instead of pills, she finds horror. Her former dealer is smiling strangely at her before taking his own life.
It’s traumatic, and Skye flees, but she doesn’t really escape. She’s now been infected with the Smile affliction — everywhere she goes a person will smile menacingly at her before chasing her down.
Can Skye find a way to circumvent the curse? And if she does, will she be able to save her career, or just herself?
While the first Smile seemed to be a metaphor for depression/mental illness, Smile 2 seems to land more firmly as a metaphor for addiction and trauma. It’s a smart move to change up the formula in a sequel, but unfortunately, the script hits all the same beats of the first film. If you’ve seen Smile, you can pretty confidently predict the plot of Smile 2.
And that’s the problem. Even when the metaphor is changed, the basic plot remains the same.
That’s not to say that Smile 2 doesn’t have lots of fun to offer. After all, we all know the basic beats of a Friday the 13th or a Halloween film, but we enjoy them anyway. Writer/director Parker Finn ups the stakes of Smile 2 with some truly awesome set pieces. Skye’s entire backup dancer troop becomes a smiling mass of writhing bodies chasing her through her apartment. It’s a breathtaking, terrifying sequence.
Skye herself is a sympathetic, fun character to watch. Scott imbues her with a sense of pluck as well as fear. Skye is so used to the crushing pressure of her mother’s dreams and showbusiness’ demands that she doesn’t crumble easily when faced with monsters. She’s ready and willing to fight to survive. It’s a fun performance and one that shows how versatile Scott is as an actress.
If you’re a fan of the first film, Smile 2 is sure to satisfy. If you’ve never seen one of the films in the franchise, I might suggest you start here. Skye’s world is more visually arresting than the bleak and clinical vistas of the first film. The jump scares are a bit cleverer. And the ending, frankly, less silly. This is a perfect watch for a rainy Sunday or a movie night with friends.
Verdict: The sequel surpasses the original in acting and looks, if not in plot.
Smile 2 is rated R and available in theaters October 18.
