Smile 2 brings back the eerie grins and skincrawling suspense from the first film but amps it up with stronger scares, brutal gore, and a killer performance from Naomi Scott. Written and directed by Parker Finn, the movie continues to explore the curse that spreads through witnessing violent deaths, but this time with a slick, high-stakes story centered on a troubled pop star. The result is a stylish, intense sequel that keeps the thrills coming.
“…a stylish, intense sequel that keeps the thrills coming.”
Smile 2 kicks off with ex-cop Joel (Kyle Gallner) attempting to transfer the Smile Entity’s curse by staging a violent confrontation in a house full of baddies. It doesn’t go so smoothly. The curse then jumps to low-level drug dealer Lewis Fregoli (Lukas Gage), who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and eventually makes its way to pop star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott), after she comes looking for some black market Vicodin.
From there, the film shifts its focus to Skye, who’s prepping for her comeback tour one year after a car accident killed her boyfriend and left her under constant surveillance by her overbearing momager Elizabeth (Rosemarie DeWitt). The curse wastes no time targeting Skye, and the film cleverly weaves in her crumbling mental state with increasing physical and auditory hallucinations, building tension as her world spirals out of control.
As the entity tightens its grip, Skye is pulled from glamorous celebrity events to eerie encounters with haunting fans and jarring memories of the accident that killed her late boyfriend (and left her with bouts of excruciating pain, hence that Vicodin incedent). A particularly unnerving scene at a charity event—where Skye publicly breaks down after hallucinating her dead boyfriend in the crowd—is one of the film’s standout moments. It’s both creepy and cringeworthy. (Also, a shoutout to Ray Nicholson, who plays Paul Hudson, the dead boyfriend. Son of Jack Nicholson, he inherited his dad’s evil eyebrows and crazy grin. A small role, but totally memorable.)
Where Smile 2 truly excels is in its atmosphere and visuals. The cinematography is cold, sleek, and detached, perfectly mirroring Skye’s isolation in the spotlight. Wide tracking shots and long takes are used to brilliant effect, building suspense as the camera lingers on open spaces and shadowy corners, always suggesting the possibility of something lurking. Whether it’s a slow pan across Skye’s sterile apartment or the looming threat of a grinning stranger in a crowd, the film cranks up the tension in those quiet, dread-filled moments.
And let’s not forget the gore. This sequel dials up the intensity of the first film several notches. The kills are gritty, graphic, and downright grotesque—whether it’s a smashed face or a stabbing with glass shards, Smile 2 revels in the bone-crunching, squelchy sounds that will turn your stomach. The violence feels visceral and adds to the suffocating sense of doom that creeps so enthusiastically throughout the movie.
Naomi Scott absolutely shines as Skye Riley, anchoring the movie with a performance that balances vulnerability and detachment. She nails the glamorous pop star persona, but also the haunted, unraveling woman underneath. Her pop star moves are convincing, and the original songs written for the film are legit bangers, which add a layer of authenticity to her character. Scott’s portrayal of Skye’s gradual descent into paranoia makes the stakes feel real. Rosemarie DeWitt as her overbearing mother Elizabeth adds a fun dynamic to every scene they share, as they navigate balancing business and familial duties.
The demon itself remains a terrifying presence, though there are moments where the creature overstays its welcome and gets a little too chatty, which weakens the horror. The entity’s strength lies in its silence—those creepy, lingering smiles are way more unsettling than the scenes where it taunts or mocks its victims. A particularly chilling moment involves an up-close interaction with a young (possessed) fan, where the demon’s influence is subtle but extremely effective, proving that the less it says, the scarier it gets.
” It’s a worthy successor to the original, keeping the demonic dread alive—whether it’s hiding in the shadows of an enviable closet or flashing a grin right in your face.”
Though Smile 2 does a good job of expanding the Smile Entity’s lore without over-explaining, a few late-film reveals veer a little too close to absurdity. I can handle a little camp, but this movie is so effectively scary the other 80% of the time, that it feels out of place. Also, the “tortured pop star” trope is starting to feel a smidge overdone—especially after M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap and The Idol’s recent fumble—but this film is definitely the best of the bunch.
Overall, Smile 2 delivers on its scares, with strong performances, creepy visuals, and nerve-wracking tension. It’s a worthy successor to the original, keeping the demonic dread alive—whether it’s hiding in the shadows of an enviable closet or flashing a grin right in your face.
Smile 2 is in theatres now. Have you seen it? Share your thoughts in the Nightmare on Film Street Community on Discord!
