'Smile 2' Impresses Critics

         On October 18, 2024, Paramount Pictures released 'Smile 2', which has earned predominantly positive reviews, currently holding at 82% on Rotten Tomatoes alongside a Critics Consensus that reads, "With a nerve-jangling star turn by Naomi Scott at his disposal, writer-director Parker Finn broadens Smile's conceit into a pop stardom nightmare that'll leave a rictus grin on horror fans' faces." The ensemble cast includes Naomi Scott, Kyle Gallner, Rosemarie DeWitt, Lukas Gage, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, and Ray Nicholson. Read the full review round-up below.

        Grace Randolph of Beyond the Trailer says, "A tour de force for Naomi Scott who gives a compelling and modern version of a Hitchcock Blonde. Writer/Director Parker Finn is equally impressive with his work behind the camera. Also the use of "celebrity" really elevates the film & makes it feel fresh."

       Jesse Hassenger of Paste Magazine was less impressed, stating, "Whenever Scott threatens to work the movie up into a proper frenzy, Finn stops her dead in her tracks, convinced that by dwelling on the vague idea of trauma, he’ll find something more to say about it." Adding, "The pop world is the perfect setting for Smile 2, Parker Finn’s follow-up to his unexpected Ring-ish horror smash from 2022. In that movie, the no-win rules of this demonic attachment were established: If you witness the death of someone momentarily possessed by this mostly-invisible demon with the telltale sign of a rictus grin, the curse jumps to you, causing reality-bending hallucinations until you, too, surrender to its quasi-suicidal whims, passing the curse along to a witness, and so the cycle perpetuates. Could this have something to do with the idea of… trauma?! If that seems like well-trod territory, just think of how those sorts of buzzwords get flattened and then reinflated by the “relatable” pop-industrial complex. Fake smiles, emerging from trauma, and stylized imagery are the currency of Skye Riley’s realm, which is rarified enough to take on a hallucinatory quality even without the aid of a demon. Are those fans silently grinning because they’re struck dumb by their love, or is it something more sinister? Is that a real stalker in her midst, or is her mind just spinning out from an uncomfortable earlier encounter? Finn must understand the hellish potential of it all; his movie has plenty of set pieces where characters frantically claw their way through a waking nightmare, starting from a bravura single-take opening sequence that’s half horror, half propulsive action with a doomy punchline."

       Carla Hay of Culture Mix writes, "As flashy as it is gory, Smile 2 is a rare sequel that's better than the original movie. Naomi Scott gives an impressive performance as a pop diva haunted by a sinister demon spirit. This movie improves from 2022’s Smile in almost every way."

Photo by Hannah Wernecke on Unsplash

       Joe George of Den of Geek notes, "Smile 2 might have the most uncomfortable scene in any movie this year, a notable feat given that Terrifier 3 is playing across the hall. Director Parker Finn throws the viewer in the middle of an argument between drug-addicted pop star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) and her movie star boyfriend (Ray Nicholson). As the two race down twisting California roads, their argument gets increasingly intense, each hurling cruel barbs at the other and neither showing any tenderness. Finn puts the camera right between the two combatants and whip pans from one to the other, forcing the audience to look at the closeup of the other person’s face as they mock their partner. The entire argument plays out in a single take, not ending until the car crashes, giving Skye the central trauma that will haunt her throughout the movie." Concluding, "Smile 2 is best when it commits itself to pure horror, and the film does have some great spooks and some gory deaths. Finn proves himself adept at crafting different types of scares, ranging from stomach-churning (or, rather, stomach-ripping) gross outs to sustained suspense, to good ol’ jump scares. In the best sequence of the film, a crowd of smiling fans invade Skye’s apartment, contorting themselves like demented dancers as they invade her space and attempt to claim their pound of flesh."