Posted by After the best debut a director could ask for the sequel Smile 2 (Parker Finn) follows the same premise, only bigger in scale and, if it’s possible, a lot more gory.
After a start, a shockingly violent one at that, which ties the two films together we follow pop star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) who is embarking on a big comeback tour after substance abuse, personal tragedy and mental turmoil. As you probably guessed by now she witnesses a horrific death and now she is plagued by the smiling spirit. Things get more twisted as the days go by and her life slowly starts to unravel. Will she escape the curse in time or will she meet a sticky end?
This is an effective film, with plenty of visceral violence, which packs a punch. It deploys jump scares to good effect as well – definitely helped along by Cristobal Tapia de Veer’s startlingly loud soundtrack. When the ear to ear grinning starts, things get very creepy and – like It Follows – it creates a sense of unease and suspicion in everyone.
It shines a light on the disregard and stress that is inflicted on pop stars and entertainers in the name of profit. In this regard Naomi Scott is great as the stressed out and put upon pop star and she deserves all the plaudits she is getting. I could not help but think she looks like the female James Franco though.
Although as this is the sequel it does not feel as fresh this time around – the element of surprise is gone and, while very well done and hard to watch at times, it feels like you are waiting for the inevitable. They have gone for bigger is better this time round, with the scale and the spectacle ramped up. This ethos also accounts for the eye watering levels of gore, which feels par the course but is overdone and unnecessary.
An intense sequel which, whilst not as fresh and stupidly violent, is entertaining, fast paced and suitably disturbing.
7/10.
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