Review: SMILE 2 is much better and scarier than I expected!

I entered Smile 2 with rather low expectations. I wasn’t a big fan of the first one Smile because it just didn’t resonate with me. So, I thought the sequel would be more of the same and be a mediocre sequel with a few scares. Boy, was I wrong. Smile 2 it’s a far superior film and ultimately proved to be a wild and terrifying ride.

The story is surprisingly strong, much darker and twisted than I expected. It revolves around global pop star Skye Riley (played by Naomi Scott), who is about to leave for a world tour but begins to experience increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events.

This evil force that torments her drives the plot forward in a way that is tense, unpredictable and full of brutal and chilling scares. The concept of the sinister smiling demon returns, but this time the execution feels fresh and the stakes are higher.

The psychological torment of the demon is intensified, making this film feel like a descent into pure nightmare territory.

The violence inside Smile 2 it’s crazy, brutal, bloody and definitely not for the faint of heart. Die-hard horror fans will love the gore, but what really impressed me was how it all served the story.

There is a purpose behind this madness and the film takes the audience on a twisted, nightmarish journey that spirals out of control, right alongside the main character. Skye’s journey from a pop sensation unraveling under the weight of her past is incredibly intense, to which you have to add the smile demon!

Naomi Scott’s performance is fantastic. He commits completely to the role and you can feel his fear and desperation in every frame. It’s not easy to carry a horror film with this kind of emotional intensity, but she pulls it off beautifully.

Whether he’s screaming in terror or struggling with his inner demons, Scott’s energy is explosive and adds so much depth to the character. It’s one of those performances that immerses you deeper into the horror.

Director Parker Finn, who directed the first one Smilereturns with a more confident and refined vision. The story is smarter, the pacing is tighter, and there’s this pervasive sense of dread that lingers throughout the film.

While there are plenty of jump scares, it’s not just that, there’s a deeper psychological horror at play and that makes the film that much more effective.

Finn also manages to insert some funny moments into the story, which provides some much-needed relief from the intensity. These moments of levity are perfectly timed, giving the audience a breather without reducing the tension.

The film builds to a truly crazy ending, and just when you think things can’t get any crazier, Smile 2 it hits you with a final twist that I should have seen coming, but didn’t. It certainly sets the stage for another sequel, and if the creative team manages to make that movie, I can only imagine it will be even more off the rails than this one.

Smile 2 it’s an unexpected surprise, dark, twisted and full of unrelenting terror. It’s a horror film that knows how to shock and disturb while still keeping the audience entertained. For anyone who loves a good bloody horror film with a solid story and a killer lead performance, this is a film not to be missed.