Spoiler Warning
CW: Gore and Violent actions
When I entered the theaters to see Smile 2, I expected good things being that the first Smile movie was very entertaining and had many great scares. And I would say that Smile 2 brings up the scare level to 100. From the booming sounds of every jumpscare to the awaited anticipation of the final scene, Smile 2 was a movie that fully embraced the smile character or “entity” and went off running with it.
The main thing I enjoyed about the film was the balance of it. The pacing was really well done. You could really feel the tension build as Sky Riley got closer to her performance because of the faster pace of the third act. However, some parts of the movie are just in the main character Skye Riley’s head, making the movie a little confusing in some parts.
The film portrays the life of a pop star very well. Maybe it was the catchy songs that are played throughout the movie or the acting of Naomi Scott, but I felt immersed in the character of Skye Riley. And I truly felt bad for her when she tried to beat the monster and ultimately failed.
Another thing I enjoyed about the movie was the jumpscares and scares in general. Not one jumpscare fell flat in the film. Even when you know what’s going to happen, the movie waits in silence right before delivering the scare. Just enough silence to make the viewer almost want the jumpscare to happen. My favorite scare in the film was when Riley was looking at the video that her friend Lewis Fregoli made, just for the smile creature dressed as Fregoli to jumpscare Riley. It’s such a perfectly timed jumpscare that I got scared even the second time around watching it.
Even though this movie shines in parts, there are some holes in the plot that left me confused, ultimately making me want more from the movie. For example, my main struggle with the film is how Riley gets from place to place. If you have already watched the movie, you come to realize that half of the movie is in Riley’s head. It’s the classic trope of “It was all a dream.” This ending left me, and I bet a lot of viewers, very confused as we frantically looked up “Smile 2 Ending EXPLAINED” on Google. So on my second watch, I tried to analyze and see when it all became fake. I would say it’s very hard to tell when things are real which is frustrating.
Another thing I was left wanting from the film was any hope. I was hoping that the sequel dived into understanding the creature–and possibly beating it. However, we are given the same formula of the first, just with a more important public figure. I also didn’t really enjoy the implication that the smile creature has now infected multiple people, as if it was a pandemic. It leaves me wondering how a Smile 3 is even going to work if they do decide to make another.
Overall, I enjoyed this sequel of a modern horror classic. It really feels like a sequel. It’s got better scares, more gore, and better characters. I definitely recommend this film, and if you can, watch it in theaters. The sound of the movie in theaters is just chilling. Smile 2 is a movie that will definitely give you that spooky fall feeling.
