‘Smile 2’ – Slick, Scary and Soulless

Horror movies follow a tried and true rule: less is almost always more.

Give genre directors 90 minutes and they’ll get the job done. “Smile 2” shatters that rule into a million little pieces.

What’s worse? The film’s ending offers exactly what we expect when almost any other resolution would have made the film matter.

The action picks up where “Smile” ended. Young, troubled Joel (Kyle Gallner) is trying to remove the Smile curse bestowed upon him in the previous film. What follows is taut and terrific, extending the story and proving writer/director Parker Finn knows how to craft a memorable moment.

Buckle in.

The action shifts to pop superstar Skye (Naomi Scott, sensational), resuming her career following a publicized rehab detour. Her life is an open book, but she’s determined to write the next chapter sans ghost writer.

A trip to her former dealer (Lukas Gage) upends those plans. She’s the next unlucky winner in the Smile Sweepstakes, and she endures a series of nightmarish visions while trying to resurrect her career.

That’s more or less the story, but Finn stages some of those encounters for maximum shock value. Yes, it’s a Jump Scare Olympics, but even a Russian judge would give him a 9.9 score.

“Smile 2” is beautifully crafted, with Scott’s determined work leading the way. She’s wholly believable as a Swiftian star, complete with entourage and massive expectations. Horror movies rarely earn awards season attention, but her work could be an exception.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Smile Movie (@smilemovie)

Finn and co. understand what makes us uneasy, and the Smile gimmick hasn’t lost its edge. The film’s template still needs tinkering.

Poor Skye seems resourceful, but she’s no match for the demon stalking her every move. Horror movies thrive when the protagonist has a measure of agency, a chance to stave off the scares. Or, at the very least, score an emotional victory.

That’s where “Smile 2” slides into a narrative rut. 

We’re left with a nihilistic sequel that tries to build on the mythology established in the first chapter. Yes, the “Smile” formula is now as airtight as an ’80s slasher film, adding a dash of body horror to the proceedings.

To what end?

Finn has talent to spare, but his sequel goes through the motions once the blueprint becomes clear. And that 127-minute runtime means we’re forced to wait and wait for Skye’s fate to be determined.

She’s a fine Final Girl, but “Smile 2” doesn’t respect her hardscrabble nature.

“Smile 2” has something to say about the perils of fame in the 21st century. Is it worth it, for starters? That’s hardly a revelation, but the screenplay teases themes that elevate the material. You can’t sustain a film with two-plus hours of jump scares alone.

(It might be fun to try, though)

Scott gives Skye a bruised sense of self, but she’s someone eager to reclaim what’s rightfully hers. The celebrity machine has other ideas, and that push-and-pull tension can be engrossing.

For a while.

A photo meet-and-greet sequence is chilling without any genre movie scares. 

“Smile 2” proves Finn is a force in the horror genre. He may be obligated to keep the “Smile” franchise humming, but here’s betting he’ll spin better stories once we’ve had our fill of ear-to-ear grins.

HiT or Miss: “Smile 2” delivers first-rate chills but quickly falls into a predictable routine.

The post ‘Smile 2’ – Slick, Scary and Soulless appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.