SMILE 2

The task of making a sequel for any film is a daunting prospect, yet it feels like an added challenge to make a truly memorable sequel in the genre of horror. That's what faced the team behind Smile 2, following up a major hit at the box-office with quite honestly a superior film in just about every aspect.

About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) begins to experience increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and pressures of fame, she must face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.

Smile was a decent enough opener to a new horror franchise but it lacked the quality in places and relied too much on cheap jump scares to become anything of note. That all changes with this sequel, Parker Finn delivering a sequel that shows he has matured as a filmmaker in such a short amount of time. Picking things up soon after the end of the first film, Finn throws us right into the panicked actions of Joel - now cursed and looking to get rid of it in any way possible. It's an impressive opening sequence that follows the desperate Joel with a long take that culminates in truly shocking fashion. Sounds harsh but this opening alone was better than the entire first film.

Things ramp up rather quickly as we are introduced to Skye Riley, our protagonist who has most definitely been through it in her recent life. The trauma of losing her boyfriend in a car crash the previous year, as well as recovering from her own injuries, makes her the perfect target for the curse. She's an interesting subject to focus on and her profession allows for broader scope when it comes to the curse coming to the fore. The absolute standout moment has to be when Skye flicks the light on to her walk-in wardrobe to be confronted by her dance troop, all wearing the infamous curse smile across their faces. Taking her eyes off them will cause them to move closer so when the inevitable happens, the creepy choreography combined with the looks on their faces makes for a deeply unsettling sequence.

Leading the film is Naomi Scott with easily one of the best performances of 2024, the fragile state of mind possessed by Riley emphasised by Scott's vulnerable and incredibly physical performance. In a fair world, she would be getting the awards love that Demi Moore is receiving for The Substance, Scott a better performance from a better film but hey, we can't have too many horror performances nominated can we? 

Who'd have thought that Smile 2 would actually prove to be worthwhile in making after the first wasn't anything special. I'm so glad they did and am genuinely excited to see where they take a third film, the film's conclusion opening up the scale to go even bigger than this film did, and that worked wonders.

Verdict: ★★★★