Smile 2 (2024) - horror film review

Wow!

I’ve just returned home from seeing the new horror film “Smile 2” today with my friend Karen.

I saw it at the Leicester Square Odeon theatre. Managed to bag a 2 tickets for £15.

And - boy oh boy! - it’s intense, v. scary and brutal.  

It’s a sequel to the 2022’s “Smile” film which, in my view, takes it to a whole new level of scare/horror with the terrific performance of Naomi Scott as “Skye Riley” (the central character) and the noticeable raising of the stakes. 

The fact that, in the film, Skye has the persona of a world famous pop star adds to the stress and tension which comes from her day-to-day “star” lifestyle and its demands. Since she has a well-developed character, it makes her turmoil so “real”. (I couldn’t really watch the teleprompter scene).  

It makes her unfolding even more torturous. The stakes seem much higher in this film due to (1) the existence of “Morris” (Peter Jackson) who has a plan to work with Skye and destroy the demon in time, while (2) having to please her legion fans, managers, mother, and friends. (For reference, I think her first interaction with Morris was real, but she missed her opportunity.)

The film’s depiction of the “pop star” reality creates a beautiful esthetic. Her outfits, hairstyle, and amazingly choreographed dancing are gorgeous.

There is a v. interesting insight into the demonic lore of the entity. It mixes the supernatural with biology as an allegory on trauma. To me, it seems as though this demon behaves like a virus. Skye is merely a “host” for this malignant entity to “use”; and then, after use, it spreads to the next person killing the earlier host. Its true origins though remain mysterious. 

Like the original film, the demon seems to enjoy mentally torturing the victim. It creates elaborate and complicated delusions which forces the viewer to question what was reality as opposed to illusion. This confusion and chaos combined with a veritable rollercoaster-ride of jump scares makes for a film you can’t look away from ... while also having to cover your eyes.

There is an escalating horror and so much gore. I had to look away often. And the ending scene will leave jaws on the floor. When horror films seem to be more of a miss thesedays, this film is a very strong hit. 

I definitely recommend it for any horror nerds.

Great viewing for Halloween! 

Rating: 4.5 ★★★★★