Naomi Scott shines, but the horror franchise is starting to lose its edge

Smile, a low-budget horror film, became an unexpected blockbuster in 2022. Originally intended for streaming, the $17 million film impressed in test screenings, earning 217 millions of dollars worldwide. Its modern take on a supernatural curse, intertwined with themes of trauma and mental illness, was a huge success for Paramount and the horror genre.

Parker Finn, the film’s creator, showed skill as a director, but fell short as a writer. His film, which drew comparisons to The Ring and It Follows, struggled to differentiate itself from those influences. The subtext needed more nuance, although the use of gore was indeed visceral. A sequel was expected, but it raised questions about how it could justify retelling a similar story.

Smile 2 finds a new angle by changing the protagonist from a psychiatrist haunted by the death of her mother to a pop star dealing with the death of her boyfriend and her struggle with addiction. The curse remains unchanged: someone is killed in front of you while smiling, after which you are tormented by disturbing visions for six days before suffering the same fate. The sequel begins with the first film’s love interest witnessing the protagonist’s suicide, cleverly connecting the two films.

The film fits into a growing trend of pop star-centric stories and horrors that explore the pressures of fame for women. While Smile 2 doesn’t introduce new ideas about the downsides of fame, it uses its celebrity setup effectively, capturing the disintegration of a star under immense pressure. The film is reminiscent of genre entries from the 1970s and 1980s such as The Eyes of Laura Mars and The Fan, with Skye struggling to maintain her public image while facing terrifying visions. The world of celebrity is convincingly portrayed, with a cameo by Drew Barrymore, although the film’s big concert takes place in a fictitious location, “Herald Square Garden,” since Madison Square Garden was not available

While the haunting grins of the first film return, they’re still more weird than scary. However, the violence is graphically intense, drawing on the brutality seen in late 2000s torture porn films like Saw and Terrifier. Finn continues to juggle a mix of dark and goofy tones, which sometimes clash, especially when the film tries to tackle serious topics like trauma, addiction and suicide. Naomi Scott is excellent as the film’s “Scream Queen”, but even she struggles with the over-the-top and chaotic final act.

The film also stumbles by expanding the demon’s powers to a confusing degree, making much of the film feel like an extended dream sequence. At 127 minutes, Smile 2 feels unnecessarily long and doesn’t stray far enough from the formula of the original. Although stylishly shot, it lacks a distinct identity and becomes repetitive. There’s a twisty and predictable final scene that sets up more sequels, but the impact of the Smile franchise is already starting to wear off.