‘Smile 2’ film assessment: Naomi Scott’s shines by means of Parker Finn’s simpering horror sequel

A nonetheless from ‘Smile 2’
| Picture Credit score: Paramount Footage

Given M. Night time Shyamalan’s latest dabblings in pop-star horror, you’d be forgiven for approaching Smile 2 with the identical warning you reserve for comeback albums — braced for disappointment however secretly hoping for successful. Fortunately, Parker Finn’s sequel delivers the products, although whether or not it’s nice or disagreeable relies upon solely in your tolerance for soar scares and fame-induced mania.

Following the success of the 2022 authentic, which turned the long-lasting unsettling smirks into box-office gold, the sequel takes the identical premise and provides it a flashy makeover. Finn eschews the horror-sequel temptations to over-explain his mythology, sticking as a substitute to what labored within the first movie. The result’s an unnervingly enjoyable, if sometimes overstretched, horror romp that proves the one factor scarier than unresolved trauma is likely to be a PR disaster.

On the centre of the brewing catastrophe is Skye Riley (Naomi Scott), a troubled pop sensation attempting to piece collectively her profession after a catastrophic fall-off. Contemporary off a tragic automotive crash that killed her boyfriend and despatched her spiralling into habit, Skye is poised for a grand comeback tour — if solely the universe would let her. As a substitute, after witnessing her drug supplier’s spectacularly gory suicide-by-free-weight, Skye finds herself hounded by the identical malevolent smile that cursed the primary movie’s characters. What follows is a collection of delusions, visitations, and grotesque encounters that take a look at the boundaries of each Skye’s sanity and our suspension of disbelief.

A nonetheless from ‘Smile 2’
| Picture Credit score:
Paramount Footage

Very similar to Finn’s first movie, Smile 2 mines the intersection of psychological well being and horror, although this time with a pointy deal with the pressures of fame. Finn explores the unholy marriage between trauma and celeb, the place stars are anticipated to cover their scars behind sequins and vibrant lights. Scott’s Skye turns into a tragic determine, haunted not simply by demons however by an entourage of sycophants oblivious to her unravelling. Her label expects diva behaviour, and her each breakdown is dismissed as mere theatrics — till the our bodies begin piling up.

Scott is the movie’s ace within the gap. Her efficiency is as convincing on stage as it’s off, and captures each the veneer of a pop idol and the vulnerability of somebody barely holding it collectively. Skye’s arc — juggling a PR redemption tour, invasive followers, and unresolved trauma — feels grounded, whilst Finn takes the fear to cartoonish extremes. Finn’s expertise lies in making hallucinations indistinguishable from actuality. Skye’s visions of smiling strangers — whether or not it’s a fan flashing braces at a meet-and-greet or the ghostly visage of her lifeless boyfriend — does a advantageous job of maintaining us on edge.

A nonetheless from ‘Smile 2’
| Picture Credit score:
Paramount Footage

If there’s a flaw on this sequel, it’s that the scares begin to really feel like a damaged document some time in. What number of instances can an encounter with the identical, devious grin land earlier than it loses impression? Skye spends massive swaths of the film reacting to more and more surreal conditions however with little sense of company, as if her demons (each inner and exterior) are driving the tour bus whereas she’s left as passenger. It’s not till the ultimate act — after some cryptic textual content messages prod her towards motion — that the narrative kicks into excessive gear.

Finn’s knack for staging set items additionally shines by means of, significantly in a sequence the place Skye’s backup dancers contort and crawl by means of her condo. It’s a deliriously entertaining second that exemplifies Finn’s capability to meld camp with real unease. But by the top, maybe an excessive amount of in love together with his rising mythology, Finn veers into maximalist physique horror, and affords up a disorienting climax that takes away from the fear of the unique.

Finally, Smile 2 thrives in its messy, meta exploration of fame, that wrings gruesomeness out of the glamour. Finn’s imaginative and prescient of stardom as each a dream and a nightmare lands with shocking resonance, making this sequel greater than only a rinse-and-repeat train. Positive, it may not reply each lingering query — together with why the demon feels at dwelling amongst document producers and PR reps — however good luck wiping that dumb grin off your face as soon as the credit roll.

Smile 2 is at present working in theatres