Smile 2 (2024) – film review

Smile 22024.

Written and directed by Parker Finn.
Starring Naomi Scott, Kyle Gallner, Rosemarie DeWitt, Lukas Gage, Miles Gutiérrez-Riley, Peter Jacobson, Raúl Castillo, Dylan Gelula, Ray Nicholson, Erika Chase, Drew Barrymore, Mila Falkof and Delphi Harrington.

SUMMARY:

Global pop sensation Skye Riley is about to embark on a world tour and experiences increasingly horrific and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and pressures of fame, Skye is forced to confront her past.

It’s possible that even writer/director Parker Finn recognized the ending Smile offered some questionable lessons with its serious topic of suicide. Smile 2 The film practically begins by chronicling who is left of this cast, while continuing the chain of kills (for those unfamiliar or remember: anyone who witnesses a possessed person killed by one in front of theirs). “Suicide” staged by an invisible demon smiles, moves on to the next person and is psychologically tortured for seven days as the process repeats itself), this time with new character types and different themes.

However, the story also seems to repeat itself and reach similar climaxes, this time somewhat self-aware and humorous in terms of the cruelty shown. This is a film with a 5 minute exposition dump that could have been lifted entirely word for word from the original, which, as you might suspect, kills the momentum. In the end, the darkly comedic tone felt as off-putting as the first film’s inability to comment on mental health. This time the commentary is reserved for topics like addiction and the harsh realities of celebrity fame, which are once again questionably addressed in a way that makes it unclear what Parker Finn is actually trying to say.

On the one hand, the filmmaker clearly sympathizes with his fictional famous pop star protagonist Skye Riley (an electrifying performance by Naomi Scott, capturing the descent into madness with frayed nerves, hairline fractures and screaming nervous breakdowns), who is both recovering from drug addiction and an almost fatal car accident that left a vertical scar on her body. There’s an early scene where she attends an autograph/photo session at a fan meeting that brings out everyone from sensible and rational admirers to obsessive stans to a sensitive, disheveled weirdo stuck in an unhealthy parasocial relationship and confesses his love to Skye. Not only is this the kind of dark humor that works for the film (it’s based on something real and isn’t just for laughs), but it also addresses an issue (that has always existed) that needs to be addressed . Anyone who watches professional wrestling can tell you that these athletes have it the worst, and have some of the craziest horror stories about stalkers and mentally ill fans (which is no detractor to the millions of good fans out there).

Then there’s vague evidence that Skye is a selfish, toxic celebrity who has pushed away legitimate ride or die friends. Finally, she also decides to follow her mother’s (Rosemarie DeWitt) advice and bury the hatchet with this friend because she is hallucinating scary things related to her traumatic past and wants someone by her side. Parker Finn seems unsure whether he wants viewers to be on Skye’s side or if this is a twisted punishment she deserves due to her troubled past full of bad decisions. Meanwhile, her mother isn’t a particularly noble person either, all she cares about is exploiting her daughter for more fame and money and pushing her to prepare for an upcoming world tour at the expense of her already deteriorating mental health.

Even with a running time of two hours, Smile 2 tackles these character relationships broadly and never delves deeply into Skye’s headspace. The film delves more into psychological torment and jump scares without bothering to expand her inner life beyond pop star fame, immediate family and her past. As a result of this unconventional approach to the character, many attempts to evoke danger and terror fail and fail to elicit a response of hope that she lives or dies. If anything, I found myself more drawn into the prologue, which followed a character from the previous film.

Admittedly, the kills here are incredibly gruesome and feature some truly impressive practical effects and makeup. However, surprisingly, this is a story-heavy film (one that struggles with characterization), so a lot of this disturbing violence is on display front and back. There’s also no denying how much effort went into the production and costume design, with all facets of the music scene and the life of a famous pop star expressed in rich, evocative colors and designs. Cleverly, one of these costumes also comes into play as a plot point and symbolism, showing that there is more to them than just pleasant aesthetics.

Over and beyond, Smile 2 does not trigger a facial reaction, but rather a shrug of the shoulders. However, Naomi Scott’s performance is a harrowing tour de force and deserves a more robust script. Between these two films, it’s obvious that Parker Finn can direct horror (even some of the jump scares are cleverly timed and executed), but desperately needs a co-writer to work out the many aspects that don’t work.

Review of the flickering myth – Movie: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★

Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the editor of Flickering Myth Reviews. Check here for new reviews, follow mine Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at [email protected]

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