Photo cred: Paramount Pictures
Brennan Smith, Podcast Desk Lead
Parker Finn’s “Smile 2”, is a 2024 American psychological horror film built on the terrifying themes that made its predecessor a hit. Released on October 18, 2024, the sequel to the somewhat new series hit theatres running, grossing over $86 million nationally with just a $28 million budget.
The movie rated well with critics, with an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 7.2/10 on IMDb. Audiences responded favorably, drawn to the film’s suspense and constant eerie atmosphere. The film seemed to hit the points needed to create a scary and interesting horror feature.
The movie starts with a famous pop singer, Skye Riley, preparing for her comeback tour after a horrific car accident a year prior killing her boyfriend. Furthermore, during the time of the crash, Skye had struggled with substance abuse and planned to make a “comeback for the ages” after being clean and healing from her injuries. Despite the constant supervision of her team, Skye sneaks out of her hotel to buy Vicoden from an old friend from high school, Lewis. At the apartment, Skye witnesses Lewis, in a manic state, smile, and commit suicide directly in front of her: causing the entity known as “smile” to pass on to her.
The film depicts Skye slowly losing her sanity, as hallucinations and demons start to consume her, which blurs the line between reality. This aspect of the movie was captivating for audiences, putting them in the protagonist's shoes questioning if what they saw on screen was even reality. The audience was pulled into Skye's psyche, where the entity led her down a twisted path where her friends and family slowly became her enemies. Audiences were able to witness Skye’s life crumble slowly, as the entity slowly tortures and takes her over, moving her out of the driver's seat in her own life.
William Finn also did an incredible job with the pacing of the horror aspects of the movie.
The jumpscares were expertly timed, coming during times when the audience least expected, they never felt forced, but emerged naturally from the elements of the movie and moved the film along nicely. Each scare built upon the last one, creating a sense of dread within the audience. Finn purposefully crafts this rhythm to further the theme of distrust, keeping the horror fresh and unpredictable.
Although the movie was amazing in cinematic and horror aspects, there was one product that was overly advertised: Voss water. In every other scene, there would be an up-close shot containing the Voss water bottle or a character drinking from it. The product was also used in one scene as a part of the horror aspect, breaking and then magically appearing unbroken. This unbearable promotion painted the movie as a “sellout” throughout the film. Although many movies have sponsors, this one felt over the top, taking the audience out of the suspense and immersion of the movie.
Personally, I loved the movie. I went and watched it with a friend, and I never once touched the back of my seat. Each jumpscare was more terrifying than the last and left me guessing for the rest of the movie. This has gained the award for one of my favorite horror films ever. If you are looking for a film that makes you check the backseat before you drive home: watch Smile 2.
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