Dir. Parkin Finn | Now in Theaters | Rating: 5/5

I remember when Smile 2 was announced and I was so disappointed. As a fan of Smile, all I could think of was how a sequel would destroy the integrity of its predecessor. You can imagine my pleasant surprise was Smile 2 blew all of my expectations out of the water. 

In my review of Smile, I mentioned that Parker Finn was one director to watch and his work in Smile 2 cements this. This film is a masterclass in storytelling and in particular, how to make a sequel that advances and builds upon the worldbuilding of the prior film. Not only does Smile 2 deliver on the scares we expected from the first film, but it also continues the raw and nuanced conversation around mental health. 

Naomi Scott kills this performance as the wonderfully imperfect heroine Skye. The franchise once again tackles the ugly and unmentionable side of mental illness with deep care and humanity. Skye grapples with substance abuse, trauma, and the crippling weight of a personality disorder, before she even encounters the titular Entity. Like so many of my favorite imperfect heroes, the audience empathizes and despises Skye at different points of the story, but is still ultimately invested in her outcome. 

The storytelling, sound design, and scares in this film are some of the best I’ve seen in modern horror. The story’s many twists and turns unravel so gracefully, the 2 hour runtime flies by. Especially since our main character is a singer, every sound in this film is meticulously placed to create a cacophony that terrorizes the audience alongside Skye. The song that plays after the end credits is haunting. Smile 2 delivers the visceral and unflinching body horror of the first, on a bigger and more spectacular scale. It’s unnerving and entrancing. 

Grossing over $110 million at the time of writing, Smile 2 will be a horror film for the ages that will require no introduction. One of 2024’s must sees. Keep your eyes on Parker Finn – he’s swinging for the fences. 

Know Before You Watch: Features extreme body horror, death, depictions of suicide, drug use.