‘Smile 2’ Review: Embracing the Limelight From Hell
‘Smile 2’ (2024)
After the dreadfully suspenseful realism of Parker Finn’s 2022 psychological horror, Smile, became a massively successful blockbuster, amping up the stakes and expanding the platform for the killer seemed inevitable. With the current dominance of pop divas (championed by Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, and Charli XCX), focusing on the life of a diva pop star seemed like the next logical step for the franchise.
While other horror films have attempted a similar narrative device with mixed results, Finn pulls it off convincingly thanks to the film’s lead, Naomi Scott, who has shown time and again that she is a triple threat — even if the quality of her projects has varied.
Smile 2 allows Scott to flex her acting muscles again, never making her transformation into a diva-defined scream queen feel strained. This helps the film evolve into something that makes the original Smile seem like it was trying too hard to be “prestigious” horror — a type of horror that is quiet and deeply introspective. While the franchise’s antagonistic demon feeds off people’s traumas for six days before forcing them to commit suicide in front of someone else, thereby continuing its existence, Smile’s host-hopping demon feels like a bloody descendant of those from It Follows and The Ring. Yet, Smile staged itself differently, consistently reminding us why this franchise — and writer-director Finn — deserves attention.
Smile 2 follows pop star Skye Riley as she makes her comeback after being seriously injured in a tragic drunk-driving accident that claimed the life of her movie-star boyfriend, a plot point that feels straight out of Taylor Swift’s 1989-era (see lyrics for “Out of the Woods”). After attempting to purchase Vicodin from Lewis (Lukas Gage), her drug-dealing acquaintance, for her chronic pain, Skye witnesses the possessed dealer die and is soon fending off demons left and right while trying to launch her world tour. While Skye tries to prove to the world that she is recovering — which she claims, helped by the many glasses of Voss water she chugs to feel in control — her isolation and self-hatred make her a prime target for the parasitic demon.
Almost every scene of Smile 2 is acutely aware of its protagonist and the level of isolation and attention she receives, a problem we see pop stars like Chappell Roan grappling with in real life. The constant exercise in corporate image management pairs with Skye’s inability to see herself as anything other than a self-destructive time bomb too many people rely on. Scott’s performance excels in portraying the vulnerability that pulls us into the world of pop stardom. It doesn’t take long for terror to creep into the overworked, lonely pop star’s life, tearing her world apart like she had once wanted to do herself.
Though there aren’t many people in Skye’s life, the demon finds ways to infiltrate her inner circle, from a rekindled yet soured friendship, to backup dancers, overly attentive assistants, and ghosts from her past. Even Lewis returns a few times to remind Skye that she can’t escape her self-hatred and guilt.
The best part of Smile 2 is its ability to keep the audience off-balance with its uneven pacing. Whenever the story lingers too long on songs or Skye’s frustration over her lack of control, Finn counters with a scare that sends your heart rate in the opposite direction. Anytime you dare to look away, something happens that thrusts you back into the story, daring you to figure out what’s real and what’s only in Skye’s head.
Showcasing how deftly Finn can handle his storytelling, the third act follows Skye as she loses complete control, killing her parasitic mom-ager (Rosemarie DeWitt), escaping a wellness hospital, and teaming up with Morris (Peter Jacobson), who has a plan to kill the demon that murdered his brother. There are moments when we think Skye might defeat the evil, only for Finn — and the demon — to remind us who’s really in control, with the sinister line, “I like wearing your skin.” This revelation shocks both Skye and the audience as the body horror reaches its peak.
Though the twist borrows from the original Smile, the extent to which the ending feels fresh and new speaks to Finn’s talent as both a writer and director. While hindsight reveals that some plot threads were unnecessary, serving only to move Skye from place to place and mislead the viewer, these aren’t details you dwell on as the horror unfolds before you.
‘Smile 2’ (2024)
Was the film worth its M. Night Shyamalan-esque twist? Yes — there’s a certain suspension of disbelief required as Finn builds the mythology and stakes of Smile’s world. However, by the film's conclusion, you start to question what the final decision means for the rest of the world, and the ending begins to fall apart like paper dissolving in water. It fails to hold the same emotional weight as the original Smile, but the movie still has enough interesting camera movement, catchy pop songs, fantastic acting, and delightfully gory practical effects that won’t leave you disappointed.
There’s enough in Skye’s backstory to make her unsympathetic, but Scott gives her enough depth to make you root for her survival. Ultimately, though, Skye has no control over her body or mind. She must smile and play pop star for everyone else while rotting away inside, unable to grasp even the illusion of control.
Grade: B+
