40/49
Skye Riley: [to the Smile Entity] You’re not in control, I am!
Scenario
About to embark on a world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley begins to experience increasingly terrifying and unexplainable events. Overwhelmed by the mounting horrors and pressures of fame, Skye is forced to confront her past. Kyle Gallner is the only actor to reprise his role from the first film so far. In one scene, Skye places a VOSS water bottle on a stone/marble kitchen counter and a noise is heard that matches the sound of something plastic being placed down. VOSS water bottles are glass, something that is actually specifically highlighted in the film, so the audio does not match the action seen.
What a performance
Featured on The 7PM Project: October 17, 2024 Episode (2024). Smile 2 started off hard and fast. With its lengthy “one take” opening that was bloody and frenetic, providing continuity to the original. The film’s camera work and lighting were great, the use of rotating shots and use of reflections certainly added to the horror sequences. Naomi Scott!
She was jarring and authentic
The descent into madness was horrifying (in a big way). I’d be happy to see an actress in a horror film receive an Oscar nomination, but unfortunately the genre is hard to crack when it comes to awards season. I’d love to see more of her in similar roles. The film, unfortunately (in my opinion), relied too heavily on its jump scares and loud sounds. I understand that they are an important tool for the genre, but they should be used in a way that adds to the story rather than scaring the audience for the sake of it.
Shout out to the dance troupe apartment scene
The film really shined in the scenes that were more creepy and disturbing rather than outright scary. The scenes where the audience realizes that Skye is hallucinating are the most memorable and carry much more weight than the sudden jump scares. I would have liked to know a bit more about the entity’s history and perhaps go deeper into its origins and story. Therefore, it warrants a sequel that offers more to the overall story. There is one scene (which I know others will feel the same way about) where the director decided to use CGI instead of practical effects.
This was very disappointing and took away from the penultimate moment
The film provided audiences with some great scary moments and stellar acting. However, the film, by relying too much on sudden jump scares and flashiness, strayed away from the gritty and dark tone of the original.