Due to a combination of a lack of time and the impression that it would be too silly, Smile eluded me back in 2022. With the sequel now here and plenty of buzz circulating, there was no better time to catch up and do an almost back-to-back viewing of the films.
Smile (2022)
There’s something about the directorial debut of a hot new horror director that makes a film extra special. James Wan. David F. Sandberg. Now, Parker Finn. Smile follows a psychiatrist who begins experiencing frightening occurrences of a smiling entity following her around. As her visions get more intense, she’s forced to face her past to escape her reality.
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room for a moment. The general premise of Smile is unmistakably similar in concept to It Follows and many other films – an evil entity only you can see is terrorising you until it kills you, and the only way to survive is to pass it on. Sure, the specifics of the lore and deeper meaning behind the stories are different, but the general idea is more or less the same. That being said, the similarity detracts nothing from the finished product as Smile carves a path of its own and does so very well.
Tonally, I love what this film does – it’s filmed in a way that makes it feel very dirty, gritty and hopeless in regards to the predicament Rose (Sosie Bacon) finds herself in. It’s consistently tense, with lots of tight shots and a well-paced structure that sees that tension build and build as Rose’s visions become more vivid. For a horror film, the cinematography is surprisingly stunning. There’s so many creative shots throughout the film that it regularly caught me off-guard. A random horror movie called Smile had no right to look this good, yet I’m glad it does.
There are scares and chills aplenty, and Parker Finn makes full use of the unique story elements in creating those spine-tingling moments. There is the occasional jump scare, but they typically play second fiddle to the focus on tone and atmospheric scares, a decision I appreciate. Early on, it’s established that there’s a bit of an unreliable narrator situation going on. We’re seeing the world through Rose’s eyes, and her vision can be subject to the entity’s mind games. That fact adds an extra layer of fear in the viewer of not knowing what’s real or not, creating a more fun and haunting viewing experience. There’s even deeper themes of trauma that play into the horror vibes and create a personal journey for Rose.
As much as the focus here is on the horror, I loved the dedication to developing the character-focused narrative. Rose is a character with a troubled past, and her confrontation of that past becomes a recurring subplot that adds depth to the story beyond just your standard horror vibes. Not knowing Sosie Bacon was in this made for a pleasant surprise – I really like her as an actor and she’s absolutely brilliant here. She commits to the role and showcases the character’s flaws and vulnerabilities impressively well. I would love to see her flex her chops in more horror films as she plays a frightened victim very well.
In the end, Smile is a deeply chilling, unsettling and thoroughly enjoyable horror film that surpassed my expectations. The premise is great, the story is thrilling and the scares are plentiful, making good use of atmosphere and an effective use of jump scares. What’s holding it back is it does play it quite safe in terms of story – that’s not entirely a bad thing, but a few risks could’ve bumped it up.
8.1/10
Smile 2 (2024)
With Smile’s success, the fast-tracking of a sequel was a no-brainer. I spoke of taking risks in the first film’s review, and Parker Finn has gone and done something fresh and inventive. Not every update is for the better, but Smile 2 is what you get when you take the first film’s premise and inject it with steroids. It’s bigger, more stunning and gets creative with how it uses the rules of its world to instil fear.
The grinning entity that feeds on trauma has found a new victim in Skye Riley, a global pop sensation overwhelmed with the pressures of fame and harrowing visions. The idea of this happening to huge public figure – the film universe’s version of Dua Lipa, if you will – is genius. It adds a whole new dynamic that’s not only unique to the franchise, but to the horror genre as a whole. It’s an exciting update that gives the film a whole new aesthetic – moving from the small town vibes of the suburbs to the hustle and bustle of NYC.
The small town vibe of the first film is naturally more tense and eerie, so I prefer that setting, but the chaos of the big city does lead to some intense sequences. The one issue with the city setting is that it’s not naturally terrifying, so it feels like the film is forced to compromise with a heavier use of jump scares. The atmospheric horror does weave its way in through the more tense second half, but otherwise it’s jump scare central. Don’t get me wrong, the jump scares in here are actually very well done and effectively had me squirming in my seat, they’re just not my preferred form of scare.
While the first half is a little too drawn out and could be tightened, the second half is where the tension really takes hold and makes way for a flurry of spine-tingling thrills. The frantic race to the finish line makes for an exciting and aptly terrifying final hour that’s fast paced and harbours a number of perfectly-executed twists. With the first film, Finn introduced the rules of the supernatural presence, and in this film he’s expertly subverted our expectations instead of playing into them. Just when you think the film’s turning right, it makes another hard left. It’s wonderfully rewarding and pleasing to see a film continue to take risks instead of conforming to a cookie-cutter structure.
While Sosie Bacon did a brilliant job in the first film, Naomi Scott is mesmerising beyond belief as Skye Riley. I’ve liked Scott’s performances in Power Rangers and Aladdin, but they are nothing compared to what she accomplishes here. Honestly, if I was in charge of Oscar nominations, I’d be putting Naomi Scott in there immediately. This is her best performance by a country mile – she dissolves into this role and exhibits every ounce of fear, doubt, terror and sadness with a striking performance. As Riley delves further into madness, Scott’s performance only gets better, unleashing her inner scream queen in majestic fashion.
In the end, Smile 2 is a fantastic sequel, one which pushes the franchise into new territory and takes plenty of risks in the process. While it’s maybe not as scary, the clever writing, great jump scares, exploration of trauma and subversion of expectations are areas where this film excels. Better in some areas and lacking in others, this sequel’s score is exactly on par with the first film. So if you loved Smile, this is sure to hit the right spot.
8.1/10
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