Review Tuesday: Smile 2

 

 

SMILE 2

2024

A pop starlet's decent after she becomes the latest victim of the SMILE demon. 

I really had no intention of seeing this movie. I had mixed feelings about the original and a sequel about a pop-tart? No thank you. 

 

... BUT ...

 

When my best friend suggested watching it? Okay. Why not? 

 

This one starts off with the survivor of the first film, Joel (Kyle Gallner) trying to use the violent murder loophole to get out of his own death. Only the entire thing gets turned upside down, Joel gets hit by a car and the curse is tossed onto some minor, two-bit dealer. This two-bit dealer, Lewis (Lukas Gage) happens to be the dealer for pop-star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott). He kills himself in front of her and passes on the curse. 

 

All that goes on in the first ten minutes. The next one hour and fifty minutes is Skye's descent into madness. 

 

The movie is nicely polished. But my main issue was the way it's difficult to identify with the main character. Part of the fun of horror is being able to understand what the characters are going through. Something about the whole pop-star life just left the movie lacking. You almost don't care what happens to Skye. The ending, however, was kind of unexpected and leaves you wondering what's next... I would call it okay.