Smile 2 – Movie Reviews by Ry!

Smile 2 – The Monster Within: A Death Smirk of Fame

Through the breakdown of circumstance, what choices can be made?  Within a questioning thought, especially in a story, it becomes a manner of emotional fervor in the journey.  No matter which way the path goes … if the journey grips in a continued tale … so does the enjoyment of the experience.  In this review, I look at the latest sequel to a recent popular horror film.  Within a different scenario of the familiar, Smile 2 pushes the bounds of psychological horror … one that brings terror with a smirk on fame. 

As global sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) embarks on a comeback world tour, she begins to slowly fall prey to terrifying mental spells.  As everything becomes blurred with reality, will Riley overcome fear or be lost forever.  At the heart of horror is the inexplicit touch of ‘the scare’.  No matter what style of horror, the effect of ‘the scare’ becomes a manner of convincing and experience.  Even if you use familiar tropes, it is the manner of creative risks of direction and techniques that can make a journey shine.  With this next chapter, we pick up from the aftermath of the first with an adrenaline filled re-introduction of insane confrontations and deaths.  After this prologue, we are introduced to our main character, Skye Riley.  We find out that she has survived a fatal crash and is moving forward with preparations for a new tour to repair her image.  After a series of predictable set pieces (and another tragic event), she slowly begins to experience psychological events that bring about the horrors of her past.  As each situation stirs between reality and nightmarish imagery, the lines between what is real and not start to blur.  As her life starts to unravel (again) the realization that the paranormal might be at play becomes a real possibility.  Being a sequel, the film does a good job of showcasing the sandbox of the property, but also building off that original experience for something different.  There is an evolution of the ‘smile’ demon, one that begins to prey upon the particulars that define our ‘current’ main character.  The tension of circumstance continues to build from a characterized perspective, one that blurs the psychological horrors with raw anxiety of fame.  This creative turn of the familiar showcases a grounded perspective, and how you build off an original for a whole new experience.

As her slow fall into madness starts to reach beyond her mind, Riley faces each circumstance with more loss of hope and despair.  This, combined with freaky situations, builds up like a pressure cooker that causes raw fear to break, moving through emotional angst and unpredictable moments.  As the web of reality and folly pushes her to the brink, we head into a third act where our main character faces the monster within.  This leads to an unexpected climax, and epilogue of unintended consequences.  Smile 2 is a horror/sequel that captures the fervor of the original … but expands into something more.  If you are a fan of the first film, horror or psychological tense tales, this is one for you.  In short, this film is worth the full price of admission.   

Full Score – 4 out of 5 (Full Price)