Editor’s Note: The following movie review contains spoilers.
Nominated as Best Horror Film at the 51st Saturn Awards for its thrilling content, Smile (2022) is now being followed up with Smile 2 (2024), written and directed by Parker Finn. This franchise was based on Finn’s short film Laura Hasn’t Slept (2020).
Junior Aubry Tobias said, “I watched the first Smile which was good, so I definitely wanted to see the [second] movie after seeing the previews of it.”
After watching the sequel, Tobias shared, “Smile 2 was a very good movie, the climax caught me off guard and had a good amount of horror. It was definitely a lot scarier than the first Smile.”
I agree. Not only is Smile 2 a great film, it is also reviewed to be a redefined definition of what a sequel should be. This film did great work carving fresh ideas to incorporate into the horror genre.
Junior Myah Spencer said, “I love this movie because it’s a thriller and unexpected unlike some movies nowadays.”
The main character, worldwide pop sensation Skye Riley (played by Naomi Scott), is getting prepared for her world tour after experiencing a traumatic event. While stressed out over the tour, she begins to have terrifying hallucinations that start to get out of control. She is forced to face her fears and get her life back before it kills her.
A key turning point in this film is Skye becoming fully consumed by the demon after a traumatic episode with her mother, which sends her into blind rage and guilt which she channels at the end of the film creating a haunting finale.
Most viewers enjoyed the way the plot unfolded and how there were so many turning points with small key details in every scene.
Spencer said, “My favorite part is the headlight jumpscare, most jumpscares were pretty scary and made me jump about 7 times.”
One thing that stuck out was the main character’s history of drugs and how that affected her relationships with friends and family. It showed how others slowly started not to believe her subtle cry for help and questioned her sobriety throughout her meltdown.
Tobias said, “My overall review of this movie was that the storyline was a lot better than the first one. There were a lot more intriguing scenes, even the dance choreography which made it more interesting to watch.”
The choreography created with the help of Beyonce and Doja Cat seemed to tell more of the story. The dancers were extremely talented and did a great job capturing a more sinister mood for the movie.
One of the most impressive parts was the hallway scene in the home of Skye Riley, there was a great use of dance choreography and suspense to make a disturbing setting for the viewers.
Spencer said, “I rated it a 10/10 because the jumpscares were extremely scary, I hated the first Smile but this is now my favorite movie by far.”
Actor Naomi Scott portrayed the main character so well that she was nominated Best Actress and Best Performance in Horror or Thriller of this year, and the movie did so well that it was nominated for Best Horror Feature at the Astra Film Awards of 2024.
Tobias said, “Many of my friends told me that it was good so of course I only wanted to see it more, I would highly recommend this movie for people who like horror movies.”
This movie does more than just scare its audience, it’s meant solely for horror or supernatural fans to face their fears and go through the same experience as the main character. It’s a great psychological film definitely worth watching.
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