Movie Monday mentions: Smile 2

This week I saw “Smile 2” in the cinema. It’s so good if you’re looking for something spooky this season. I liked the first one when it came out two years ago, but this one builds on that in many ways.

In this film we follow Sky Riley, the returning pop sensation. She had a short break after an accident, but is back on tour for her adoring fans. After a drug deal goes terribly wrong, she becomes infected with the curse of the smile.

The film is brutal in many ways. The deaths are gory and made me cringe. There are also second-hand scenes of deep embarrassment that show just how crazy Sky is becoming. It also causes jump scares when I least expected it… and I know that’s what it’s about, but still!

Visually the film looked great. I mean, the scary things looked scary and gory and I heard they used a lot of practical effects that helped make things feel more real. Since Sky is a pop sensation, we get to see a lot of fun outfits and sets that we don’t see in the first film. So it was great to see. There was a point where the film felt like a music video…until I remembered it was a horror film.

With the songs sung by Sky, the soundtrack offers a good mix of fun pop songs that contrast well with the spooky ambient noises. They made just the right noises to make me feel nervous at all times.

Overall, I really liked the film and we hope we end up getting a third one. I don’t want to spoil anything, but the opportunity is there if you want it. If they continue and learn as they have been, this could become one of my favorite horror franchises. Check out the trailer if you’re still unsure!

-Jared Gomes