With a healthy dose of new pop divas entering the scene in the last couple of years, “Smile 2” (2024) capitalized on the perfect moment to create a blood-soaked commentary on the reality of fandom and fame. Parker Finn, writer-director of the original “Smile” (2022), returned to the limelight with a meaner, bloodier and longer sequel sure to satisfy your need for a scare this Halloween season. Despite possessing a killer cocktail with all the right ingredients and the perfect garnish in Naomi Scott’s performance as Skye Riley, “Smile 2” gets lost, sputtering and spiraling into a disappointing end.
As social media and its users continue to reach farther and wider than ever before, the perpetrators of Hollywood stars’ malevolent pressure has shifted from the system to the insatiably invasive fans. Gone are the days when celebrities simply had to be perfect for the cameras — now the whole world is watching.
In the wake of a car accident — which the film shows piece-by-piece in excruciating detail — Riley, a pop star, feels this pressure to her core and is visibly crushed by its unstoppable force. Oh, and there’s that pesky malevolent demon following her around, too.
In the film’s predecessor, Finn brought to the forefront an evil spirit so on-the-nose it could’ve been called the Post Traumatic Stress Demon. This time, he loosens up on his metaphor to deliver a character-centered performance that brings the oh-so-torturous lives of the rich and famous to the spotlight. A wise decision, given Scott’s credible performance as an it-girl, complete with musical numbers whose danceability tops even that of Lady Raven’s in summer hit “Trap” (2024).
“Smile 2” has all the ingredients to be a perfect fanfare horror film. The opening sequence, led by a manic Kyle Gallner of the first film’s glory, is jolt after jolt and very disturbing, with dynamic camerawork and even more blood than before. When the hallucinatory title card flashes on screen after the first scene, the film carries a boatload of promising momentum but gradually loses it as the script runs dry.
The strongest aspects of “Smile 2” are its genuine attempts to scare the audience. Where the gimmick might otherwise suffer from diminishing returns, it succeeds with every new flash of that titular creepy smile serving as an omen of something even more horrible to come.
The film contains some truly spooky set pieces and admirable gore. Finn’s jumpscares are particularly impressive, unpredictably inventive and hiding around every corner. However, the film struggles to pace these scares well and allows too many minutes to tick between them, the suspense inflating into such a large balloon that it is forced to pop before it pays off.
And even in the face of a stellar supporting cast, including Dylan Gelula — whose perfect comedic timing is essential for the film’s tonal blend — the trap of its unmalleable concept ultimately suffocates “Smile 2.”
The bleak nature of this smiley monster’s victims is refreshing in the face of studio horror that refuses to end on a bad note. But by the time our ill-fated pop star arrives in an abandoned Pizza Hut freezer with nothing but a needle and a dream — or should I say nightmare — things have gotten a little out of hand. The film’s ending is abrupt and nonsensical, violating everything it built, including its reality versus hallucination logic. When the audience literally cannot believe anything they see, it becomes less of a clever mind game and more a result of poor writing.
“Smile 2” is a parable of the sinister underbelly of stardom and the intense parasociality of modern fans. Full of that same skin-crawling smile as the first film, this sequel has plenty to admire for fans of the genre but not quite enough to make you really grin with delight as it comes to its fated close.
