It’s always kind of cool to be there at the beginning of a new horror franchise. The first viewers of Saw in 2004 could hardly have predicted that the 11th film in the series would be released in 2025, with an original cast member still headlining the project. Having said that, some iconic films that seem primed for multiple sequels have follow-ups crash and burn quite badly when those offerings appear at theatres (*cough*BlairWitchProject*cough). With the huge success of Smile in the spooky season of 2022, the news of the sequel wasn’t a huge surprise. But there was some concern as to whether the hook of the original film could be carried over to a new movie, whilst retaining some of the chills and high points that distinguished that narrative. After all (tiptoeing around spoilers), it doesn’t lend itself to a direct continuation as such and brand-new characters and/or scenarios were going to have to be considered pretty carefully. But it happened and here we are, just days away from Halloween (and again with a disappointingly light genre presence in the box office… apart from Terrifier 3 obvs), as Smile 2 giggles its way across the silver screens on a global release from Paramount. Shot in New York, early in 2024, the returning director/writer Parker Finn, continues the narrative of the supernatural entity which drives its victims to the edge of madness and passes on to any witness of their final act of suicide (whilst smiling like a maniac). So is it “happy, happy, joy, joy” or a lacklustre attempt to continue a potential franchise?

 

It starts with a neat prologue, which takes place 6 days after the events of the first film. It ties up a “loose end” (you can probably guess what we’re referring to there) and branches off into the life of a new leading character. This would be Skye Riley (played by a spellbinding Naomi Scott), who is basically an amalgamation of Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift. Just 12 months ago, the Grammy-award-winning singer was on top of the world and had a Hollywood boyfriend. However, a car accident and drug addiction snatched her fame away from her. After recuperation and an image change, Skye is now embarking on a brand-new sell-out tour, backed in the millions by moguls and managed mostly by her demanding Mother (Rosemarie DeWitt as Elizabeth Riley). But Skye is both mentally and physically struggling with the stress and has developed a dependency on painkillers. Sneaking out of her hotel room, she hooks up with her dealer (Lukas Gage as Lewis Fregoli) for some chemical relief. Unfortunately, Fregoli is the latest carrier of the “Smile Curse” and takes his own life in front of her whilst grinning broadly. Already frazzled by her career, Skye starts to descend into a mad world where she can’t trust her own senses, as the supernatural parasite now locks onto her. However, a mysterious contact promises to provide her with a way out…

 

The big worry with sequels to good horror movies (and we’ve all been there and been stung badly a few times) is that it either turns out to be a tired retread of the original plot or that it tries to distance itself from established lore and belly flops into irrelevance and disappointment. “Happy” to report that this is not the case here and that a lot of critics seem to agree. Yes, you can argue that the same basic plot arc remains here. Skye receives the curse after a gruesome selfie-cide, fights with the symptoms, and tries to find a way out. Much the same as therapist Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) did in the previous film, which allowed for the themes of mental health and paranoia to be explored on a basic level. The canny thing that Parker Finn has done here (apart from showcasing Scott’s scream queen potential) is to transplant those themes onto the fractious world of showbiz rather than medical sobriety.

 

Skye is already a somewhat tragic and troubled individual, with flashbacks and relationships setting up her believable characterisation. This makes her a prime and attractive target for the increasingly savage demonic entity, arguably even more so than Rose. Whilst suffering from addiction and a lack of self-belief, she is pretty much bullied into her appearances, with her mother and management pushing her without thought of consequences. Just show them the money. Initially, her only source of support and comfort is her best friend (Dylan Gelula as Gemma), who she drove away with her previous toxic behaviour. In all honesty, with a few tweaks and rewrites, Smile 2 could easily be stripped of its supernatural element and be transformed into an effective melodrama about the destructive downfall of a pop star. That air of ambiguity is still there, after all, it’s only ever the cursed individuals who see the “smilers” and the demon. But obviously, it really is the big-ass multi-jawed asshole who’s pulling the strings here. It’s just that the pressures put on Skye and her reactions to them are perfectly realistic and unhappily relevant in today’s build-‘em-up-pull-‘em-down world of “entertainment”.

 

So within that context, the themes of toxic fandom, stalking, and hypocrisy are easily slotted into the narrative. After all, is that brace-toothed pig-tailed girl with the sickly simper just a weird fan or a manifestation of the demon? Is the naked guy in the flat (check out the stained underpants on the floor *eurgh*) a genuine predator or another faked vision? The barriers between reality and imagined threats are much more pronounced here than previously. So much so, that you begin to wonder whether certain characters exist or not. That could be a problem for some of the audience, as it’s laid on thick here. The lore seems to be stretched somewhat (just how does that curse get passed on at the beginning? Hmmm…) and it’s often used as an excuse to present potentially fatal threats and then snatch them away with a “…aaaand it’s not real” flourish. Having said that, it does allow for some superbly creepy moments, such as the smirking dance group infiltrating Skye’s apartment and then terrorising her with choreography. Yeah, that’s more unsettling than it sounds and is an example of the dark humour on show here. Such as Gemma’s response to a death and a trip to Staten Island (“Eww. Gross”).

 

With all that, it would measure up to be an okay-if-perfunctory sequel, but several elements raise the level to a much higher standard. For a start, Scott is absolutely superb in the lead role and carries much of the effectiveness of the story solely on her shoulders. It’s potentially a career-boosting moment and a far cry from Aladdin and Charlie’s Angels. By turn, she is sympathetic and believable and delivers primal screams in the best way possible. So much so, and especially with the dance and song requirements, that it’s difficult to think of another actor pulling it off so well. There are possibly a few too many falls-on-her-ass-and-scoots-back-in-terror shots but otherwise, it’s a cracker of a turn and should be applauded. She is ably supported by the rest of the cast, including cameos from Ray Nicholson (who appears to have inherited his dad’s insane grin… yes, it’s Jack) and OG Scream girl herself, Drew Barrymore. The fact that Finn puts such complicated characters at the forefront of both films helps to sell the concept and make the themes work so well in the genre context.

 

From a technical and visual perspective, Smile 2 also ups the ante beyond what its predecessor provided. There are umpteen genuinely disorientating sequences that reflect the mental state of the characters. An upside-down view of the New York skyline gradually zooms into Skye’s apartment and her face, whilst remaining inverted throughout. A scene in an elevator segues into an overhead shot of a New York street as the doors open. It’s marvellous cinematography that provides an ongoing feeling of disquiet without ever going into arthouse pretentiousness, with the big city giving it some elevated colour and depth. And let’s not forget the actual horror. And boy, Finn doesn’t do that! The death-by-lifting-weight (glimpsed in the trailer) is far, far gnarlier than you would expect. In fact, the sound of the dripping flesh from it is used as a tonal torture for Skye in later scenes. There are also plenty of other R-rated moments, such as bones jutting through flesh, jaws pulled from faces, stomachs pulled open, etc. Expect plenty of exceptionally well-laid-out jump scares that are likely to have the most seasoned horror fan throw their popcorn in the air, with long moments of silence and trepidation leading to nerve-shredding pay-offs. And if you thought the Smile Demon was nasty before, wait until you get a load of it here! The eyes! That’s all I’ll say. Those bloody eyes.

 

There are moments when you think that the premise has been pushed a little too far and established “rules” are bent, especially during “Was that real or not?” sequences. But in honesty, the compelling presence of Scott and the final act (which goes for broke in all senses) is very likely to win you over to the dark side. And it is dark. For a studio franchise sequel, this goes to some pretty uncomfortable places and has a real sense of nihilism which hasn’t been as overriding in a mainstream sequel since the original Omen trilogy. This bodes well for further sequels (all but confirmed), where things could get really interesting. Hopefully, as long as the director/writer stays true to these standards, we’ve got a future to smile about too. Fingers crossed for 3 and an excellent viewing option for Halloween ’24