Smile 2 Review: Pop Star Horror, Gore, and a Terrifying Sequel

Smile 2: Bigger, Bloodier, and Ready to Haunt Your Dreams!

Smile 2: A Pop Star's Nightmare – Director Parker Finn Explains the Sequel's Killer Success

Smile 2 is finally here, hitting theaters with way more intensity and terror than its predecessor. Written and directed by Parker Finn, Smile 2 ups the ante on several levels– we're talking insane amounts of gore, even deeper lore, and some truly unsettling surprises which create a truly terrifying atmosphere that no-one could be entirely prepared for. The movie totally reimagines that same chilling premise: We no longer see that focus upon those same victims; a huge departure from those plot points in the first movie. The original film is about that same trauma; now this focuses upon fame, and this is incredibly intriguing!

The plot follows the pop star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) a year after a car crash tragedy – which shook her. She’s on the verge of a massive comeback and then everything spirals out of control; this isn't your average “something evil followed you home” thriller: This film uses that classic haunted narrative within this framework involving fame and fortune: It’s terrifying, making this chilling twist on that same classic haunted premise entirely terrifying. That meeting with her old high school friend, Lewis (Lukas Gage), marks a point that changes her entire life forever; starting that whole crazy cycle anew and continuing to add more layers.

It includes Rosemarie DeWitt as Skye's manager, Dylan Gelula as her best friend and Miles Gutierrez-Riley as Skye’s assistant. And it totally leverages that famous “smile” theme while exploring intense new themes around trauma and the high cost of fame.

Also Read: Smile 2 Rotten Tomatoes Score: Is the Horror Sequel a Box Office Hit?

Why a Pop Star? Director Finn on the New Setting

In a Screen Rant interview, Finn discussed why he chose this completely unexpected new direction for Smile 2. He made a seriously clever decision; emphasizing that he didn't want simply creating “a repeat of the same things”. He wanted a thematic follow-up, totally distinct yet built on the original film’s themes, generating something new and extremely unexpected that only he could’ve generated. He specifically aimed at showcasing just how deeply dark the pop-star world actually is: “it just felt so powerful and ripe”.

Finn and Scott collaborated closely on creating that specific pop star persona for Skye Riley : the character design, song choices; even down to choreography; this demonstrated a carefully-crafted approach, not necessarily adding more into what existed, but adding an equally significant amount of detail without creating a clash with what made the first one amazing! That attention paid toward detail; that attention on creating such a well-rounded and believable persona makes it obvious why Smile 2 became something more, rather than less!

Also Read: Smile 2: First Reactions, Box Office Potential & Comparison to the Original

More Gore, More Fear: Why Smile 2 Doesn’t Shy Away from Horror

Naomi Scott on stage in red bodysuit for Smile 2 Image

This film completely raises the stakes for Horror! It isn’t enough to generate simply anxiety; the added intense amounts of graphic gore is what really generates that intended amount of terror which fans expect and really, really makes audiences terrified of what awaits those main characters. It’s clearly intended for experienced fans.

Finn confirmed “bigger frights, bigger anxieties” creating that desired feeling of intensely frightening experiences. The supernatural moments remain totally unsettling; generating exactly the right type of horrific atmosphere and feeling intended; leaving that audience completely uncertain about what could possibly await. He cleverly makes it clear it's meant to satisfy fans craving more— an exciting escalation without compromising that core story's Horror themes and those deeply troubling psychological elements which both define its story's impact. A brilliant evolution of the premise! A clever evolution which is designed entirely from its creative underpinnings which created an already scary film.

Also Read: Smile 2: A Multi-Film Horror Franchise on the Horizon?

The Future of Smile: Is Smile 3 Already on the Horizon?

Lukas Gage as Lewis smiling with sweat dripping down from nose in Smile 2 Image

Smile 2’s ending strongly hints towards even more installments in this rapidly growing series! And Finn confirmed this and explains that a Smile 3 is a “possibility”. That being said, he highlights those thematic elements which always remained a strong theme for both the original film as well as for the sequel which includes “character-centered stories”. While emphasizing just how important this could be, it’s far less likely this happens simply because these events are financially viable. And the success of Smile 2 will obviously impact those future developments.

Even the minor moments got immense levels of attention; as explained in that Screen Rant interview; even down to obtaining that specific “smile” from the actors, with the mention of how closely that detail, particularly for Lukas Gage, shows just how far those lengths extend when creating exactly what made Smile 2 such a massive success.

Also Read: Joe Hill's Top 3 Horror Movies of 2024: Nosferatu, Smile 2, & Terrifier 3!

Conclusion: Buckle Up For More “Smiles” to Come

Smile 2 is seriously amazing; showcasing immense creative skill within this very small, specific genre. The expanded use of creative direction, both visually and narratively; the expansion beyond merely adding those violent horror elements while simultaneously retaining the original themes completely elevates Smile 2; making the already terrific concept become much stronger and generates intense emotional investment among those people invested from the beginning!

This is a seriously great sequel; an evolution not a repetition. That leaves us entirely excited and utterly terrified of what Finn could deliver, depending on how successful the latest film performs!