• Release year: 2024
• Director: Parker Finn.
• Producers: Marty Bowen, Parker Finn, Wyck Godfrey, Isaac Klausner and Robert Salerno.
• Screenplay by: Parker Finn.
• Cinematography by: Charlie Sarroff.
• Music by: Cristobal Tapia de Veer.

Shotgun Commentary: not as scary and violent as the first one, kinda fun, actually.

Review

Smile 2 has gone back to the basics of horror in this sequel of the smiley virus with a “kids, don’t do drugs” premise. After an initial almost-relapse, pop star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) is traumatised to death after witnessing her dealer kill himself by repeatedly smashing a weight on his face.

This, however, is the most hardcore moment of the whole film. So, if you’re good after, chances are, you won’t be impressed by anything else in the feature.

Stardom and vices

The movie makes sure you don’t miss a single minute of how the virus is spread by using the last infected person of the first instalment as a starting point for the sequel. His plan isn’t half bad but, as usual, the virus is smarter. The action sequence gives way to Riley’s presentation and almost immediate infection with the virus.

Riley bears a strong resemblance to Lady Raven (Trap, 2024), maybe due to how close in time they’ve been released. Much like the Trap star, Riley also has some bangers. Tracks that are thankfully cut short by creepy, icky occurrences that serve as a reminder that you are not watching yet another musical. You already have Joker: Folie à Deux, Emilia Pérez, Moana 2, Wicked and a thousand other 2024 releases for that, so they don’t waste much footage with voice flexing.

Sadly, they didn’t spend much time giving Riley any common sense either. Much like all other teenagers and ex-addicts in horror films, her actions are far from reasonable most of the time. Throwing up all over a crime scene and leaving the vomit there is the first of many actions that can’t possibly be explained without falling into the cliché of “this youth is wasted, amirite?”.

Too much, too little

And speaking of fluids, this has been quite bothersome for a while now, why on Earth do all scared people have litres of snot coming out of their nose? And why don’t they notice?! Does being scared bypass any natural urge to clean your nose when rivers of mucus are coming out of it? It was fun, albeit disgusting, in The Blair Witch Project (1999) and its parody in Scary Movie (2000), but it’s getting ridiculous now. There is so much snot in this film it should be a paid actor.

What you don’t see is any sort of police until the very end of the film, and even then…you don’t? It might be a personal thing but, if you think that a crazy stalker has broken into your home and taken all his clothes off, isn’t the natural reaction to grab something sharp and sturdy, AND call the police? Also, if something is, indeed, charging towards you with ill intent, why would you throw your only weapon on the floor to run? It makes almost as little sense as using the final scene to promote your film. Oh… right.

Sick choreo

Decisions aside, the film is far from the first instalment in terms of intensity and gore. There are plenty of cool jump scares, but none like the ones in the previous instalment. While having a person stare at your smiling is still as creepy as ever, it is no longer enough to freeze your blood quite as it did the first time around.

Nevertheless, there is a sequence with some clear physical prowess that looks absolutely fantastic. In it, Riley sees all of her dancing crew smiling at her and following her weeping-angels style (Doctor Who, S03 E11: “Blink”). This scene, while tense and weirdly beautiful, is far from scary. The more you look at the dancers individually, the more obvious it becomes that they aren’t actors, and it turns into a pretty hilarious experience.

Laughter is probably not what the creators had in mind, but it is what they’ll get. The asphyxiating stalking situation they wanted to created look more like an impromptu flash mob that Riley knows nothing about.

A nice touch

Still, the camera is incredibly dynamic all throughout the film, which makes the experience as interactive as a film can be. You have subjective and objective shots, a fish eye effect from time to time, and even some very interesting action sequences. Is this enough to make it a sequel worth watching? It is if you are looking for a fun experience that won’t leave you too scarred. Regrettably, if you were looking for the same nightmares you got during the first instalment, it is very likely you’ll be severely disappointed.

All in all, Smile 2 is an alright sequel that escalates the danger posed in the first instalment without necessarily being any scarier. The camera work and acting are great, as are the visual effects. The writing, while full of twists and turns that keep you interested, could have been a little more innovative. Still, it is a good watch for someone who wished Smile (2022) had been a little less intense.

Advice to take from this movie:

• Let’s normalise calling the police when something potentially dangerous is happening, yeah?
• If you are seeing terrifying, f*cked up things that aren’t there, maybe go to therapy? Do some research at the very least?!
• Don’t run around in a bloody outfit if you want to be inconspicuous.

What’s your take? Have you watched Smile 2? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀