2022’s Smile was a surprise hit, grossing over $217 million worldwide against a $17 million budget. Following its success, Paramount Pictures gave writer/director Parker Finn a first-look deal to develop future projects. At CinemaCon 2023, Paramount announced that a sequel was in pre-production, with Finn returning to write and direct. Finn intentionally left certain elements ambiguous, hoping to explore those themes in a sequel that would be significantly different. Rather than making a direct sequel or retreading the first film, Finn wanted to make something different but familiar. Aside from Kyle Gallner returning, the new cast included Naomi Scott, Lukas Gage, Rosemarie DeWitt, Dylan Gelula, and Raúl Castillo. With a bigger budget of $28 million, filming occurred between January and March 2024 in and around Hudson Valley. After tons of anticipation and hype, Smile 2 hit theaters in October 2024.
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Rating
Synopsis
Pop star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) is preparing a comeback after struggles with substance abuse and a near-fatal car crash. Her mother/manager, Elizabeth (Rosemarie DeWitt), and their assistant, Joshua (Miles Gutierrez-Riley), constantly monitor her. Going behind their back, Skye buys pain medication from local drug dealer Lewis Frugoli (Lukas Gage), who’s been acting erratic. After raving about seeing something Skye can’t see, Lewis smiles as he bludgeons himself to death with a weight. Soon, she starts seeing visions of people smiling and terrifying her, which inadvertently lands her in more trouble. At the same time, Skye reconnects with her old friend, Gemma (Dylan Gelula), and confides in her about what’s happening. As the first concert of the tour approaches, Skye questions her sanity and debates quitting against her mother’s wishes. Will Skye regain her sanity and beat this entity, or will she be another victim of the smile?
Review
When I saw the first film, I was surprised at how good it was and how much I enjoyed it. Sure, the movie suffered from fake jump scares and borrowed from other movies, but Parker Finn showed plenty of potential. With Smile 2, Finn learned from the original’s criticisms and made a sequel that surpasses it and then some. Like its predecessor, the film explores themes of trauma and PTSD, along with guilt, redemption, and the pressures of stardom. Like Sosie Bacon in the first film, Naomi Scott is the central driving force, delivering an excellent performance. She shows plenty of vulnerability as her sanity deteriorates and her stress increases from the pressures placed upon her. The rest of the cast do a fantastic job, particularly Rosemarie DeWitt, Dylan Gelula, and Kyle Gallner. Also noteworthy is Ray Nicholson, son of Jack Nicholson, who delivers an equally wicked smile.
Cinematographer Charlie Sarroff returns to deliver excellent camerawork and visuals that heighten the tension. Like before, plenty of overhead views, upside-down shots, and sweeping camera moves make the film feel more dynamic. Additionally, some quick-cut editing mixed with long tracking shots helps create a sense of unease that permeates throughout. Much like A Nightmare on Elm Street, there are moments when you’re unsure if what you see is real. Parker Finn does a great job putting you in Skye’s mindset and questioning everything around you as it unfolds. Also, the film earns its R-rating with tons of blood and gore, but it isn’t used gratuitously. Instead, the bloodier moments are more like the payoff to the tension that gradually builds as the scenes play out. Some scenes cut away from the gorier details and are just as effective as the bloodier scenes.
While this film is much stronger than its predecessor, some of the original’s flaws creep in here. For instance, there are several jump scares like in the original, though they’re more earned and less frequent than before. Also, the second act tends to drag as there are scenes of nothing happening that go on for too long. Thankfully, things pick up in the third act as Skye struggles to defeat the entity and regain control. Some audiences might also bemoan that the movie doesn’t explain much about the entity causing this. I’m ok with the filmmakers leaving its nature vague, but if you’re looking for answers, you won’t find them here. Still, this is one of those rare instances where the sequel outdoes the original in many ways. Overall, Smile 2 expands on what made the first film work, delivering great characters, excellent cinematography, and a riveting story.
Smile 2 opens on October 18th only in theaters.
