Smile, released in 2022, is one film that was unanticipated to become a horror success. From a budget of only $17 million, it raked in over $217 million at the box office, changing from an exclusive release for streaming platforms into a box office phenomenon. Now, in 2024, Finn returns with Smile 2; does the follow-up live up to the charm of its first film?
In Smile 2, the victim endures at the hands of the curse for six days. The visions that they see haunt them, and then the poor soul meets its gruesome end as well. Overall it is a good concept but when you will be watching the Smile 2 you will feel that it resonates with previous horror hits like The Ring. This show also has the glance of supernatural curse which is passed on from one victim to another. There are a lot of things associated with the show which should be discussed in detail.
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A New Victim, Same Curse
In Smile 2, Finn shifts his focus from the original film’s subject, a psychiatrist tormented by trauma from her mother’s suicide, to a new subject Skye Riley, played by Naomi Scott. Skye is a fallen pop star fighting with addiction, fame, and emotional scars after her boyfriend’s death. When she gets ready to come back to music and inadvertently gets dragged into the deadly curse when an ordinary drug dealer named Lewis gruesomely kills himself in front of her, played by Lukas Gage, Skye’s emotional struggles manifest as fighting for survival.
Here, Finn managed to drive home the lines of fame and isolation. Skye’s struggle while being under the spell of supernatural forces creates suspense in the film but does not take the story into too much new territory.
However, even though the film is strong in its visuals and performances, Smile 2 has a tone problem. In the second film, Finn tries to balance weighty subjects such as trauma, addiction, and suicide with farcical, more over-the-top elements of a traditional horror film.
Familiar but Effective
While Smile 2 does some new ground with the celebrity focus and Skye’s journey, much of the movie feels like a retread of the first. The cursed smile, the visions that are a terror, and the painful march to certain death are too similar to anyone who saw the original. Finn extends the mythology of the curse but does not feel like he changed enough to differentiate the sequel from the original. From a storytelling point of view, it is clear pretty quickly that Smile 2 is retelling the beats of the first film with an entirely new cast and some original plot twists and turns.
Still, however, Finn knows how to keep the suspense building for old fans. Even though the film is well-paced, one thing that is missing in this movie is newness. It has the same old plot but one thing we can’t deny it is a one-watch wonder and not recommended for you if you are looking for something new.
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By the time the film reaches its climax, it’s clear that Smile 2 is setting up for yet another sequel, but the impact of its scarceness is starting to fade. The final scenes turn out to be predictable, and the length of the film does not help the issue (127 minutes, though bloated in places). Finn’s reliance on these repetitive tropes of horror allied with a story that does not unfold itself better than it should have, results in Smile 2 feeling just like more of the same.
Final thoughts
Smile 2 is a pretty well-crafted horror sequel with an occasional fright, and there’s a lot of gore and suspense but not ever original enough to push it out of the wash. Naomi Scott gives life to the film while Finn’s helm has ensured that the horror smacks on the screen yet the familiar structure and tonal missteps mean it is more than merely a good sequel rather than a great one. There is enough here for fans of the first Smile to be pleased, but for anyone seeking something different, this movie could feel more like a retread of well-worn horror grounds.
