I watched the new horror film “Smile 2” and built a brick factory. I warned you

Yesterday, the sequel to the horror film “Smile” was released on digital platforms, a month after the start of worldwide release. “Smile 2” continues the story of the first part, but with new characters.

The film had a limited release in Russian cinemas, but now it can be found on foreign streaming services, or in other places that you yourself know about.

The first film turned out to be a real sensation: it produced an impressive box office and received positive reviews from both viewers and critics. The trailers for the sequel promised not to lower the bar and show that this franchise had more to offer than just a rehash of the original.

We watched “Smile 2” and are ready to share our impressions. Spoiler: the trailer didn’t deceive me, it was unpleasant.

The concept and atmosphere are the same, but there is something new

What is the film about?: The plot takes place six days after the events of the first part. The curse we saw in the original continues to spread, passing on new victims.

The story centers on Skye Raley, an international pop star who is preparing to return to the stage after a car accident. But the path to restoration turns out to be complicated not only by the boundaries of demons, but also by literal ones.

The film opens with Joel, the detective and sole survivor from the first film. His desperate attempts to get rid of the curse led to another tragedy. The opening scene is of extreme effect and was filmed without a single cut. This episode sets the tone for the entire film. Everything is filmed so masterfully that one’s vision literally feels like it’s in the center of the ongoing nightmare.

Next, director Parker Finn Finn makes a funny move by placing himself at the center of a global celebrity. Skye Raley is not only a memorable character, but also a metaphor for loneliness under the spotlight. We see her mental destruction: the hand of the camera, the screams of fans, the pressure of social networks – all this becomes a weapon against her.

It’s hard to watch and realize that no one around her understands. She has assistants, producers and a mother-manager, but she remains single. The scenes where she stands in front of fans with a frozen smile are both tragic and creepy.

Perhaps this is one of the most powerful aspects of the project – the awareness that she is now having a hard time coping with her work, and finally, she feels lonely even in the presence of people. Finn skillfully conveys this atmosphere through the film’s visual language, making her pain palpable. Here lies another undeniable advantage of the film – the acting of the main character.

Great acting is half the success of a film

Naomi Scott is great. Her Skye Raleigh is a complex and layered character whose struggles with boundaries and external demons make her especially believable. Scott manages to show both the outward confidence and inner vulnerability of a man who is trying to cope with the traumas of the past and apply glory.

Skye is not just a pop star – she is a person with real problems. Her relationship with the implementation manager, isolation in the presence of fans and colleagues, the feeling of loneliness even in a crowd make her heroine relatable and understandable.

The lighting provides this idea, adding humanity to a film that could have easily slipped into cliché.

Horrible moments are just as scary as they should be.

Although the film makes reference to mythology, Finn wisely leaves some of it in the background. He realizes that redundant explanations—ancient artifacts, cursed dolls, or creepy urban legends—could be extracted from the protagonists: moments of female protagonist terror.

The first “Smile” captivated the viewer with its unexpected approach and ability to balance between horror and drama. The sequel maintains the dark tone, but brings in greater scale and psychedelic elements.
Here the director continues to play with the atmosphere of horror, using his signature original techniques. The claustrophobic camera that moves horizontally, slowly and frighteningly, the long shots and the suspenseful soundtrack create without feeling smooth or uncomfortable.

The film’s creepiest moments aren’t necessarily the bloodiest. On the contrary, the terrifying frozen smiles frozen on the faces of those around them make a greater impression than frank scenes of war. This really gives me goosebumps.

We can say that the film skillfully balances between silence and sound bursts and explosions. Tense, virtually silent moments are suddenly broken by deafening sounds, creating a stark contrast. These aren’t just your standard jump scares – sound design riddled with unsettling, unnatural noises that literally chill you to the bone.

An outstanding work by composer Cristobal Tapia de Vir. Its soundtrack is filled with dissonance and strange melodies that enhance the feeling of discomfort. The music seems to imitate the introduction of chaos into the heroines, adding another layer to the world’s terrible atmosphere.

The sound design in Smile 2 is not just an addition, it is a key element in creating the atmosphere of the film. He forces us to be on our guard, scaring us not only with what we see, but also with what we hear. The sound here becomes part of the horror that literally haunts the viewer.

There is only one flaw in the film

If in the first part the audience did not know what had happened and constantly felt tension, then “Smile 2” initially acted according to the rules of the game. This level of intrigue is what makes the film less tense.

This is the main problem of the film. Instead of revealing the plot, the film often slips into a guessing game: what is real and what is just a figment of the heroine’s imagination? This technique, although effective at first, begins to seem profitable. The viewer stops being shocked and begins to expect a catch, which heats up emotions.

However, the emotional depth of Skye’s character makes up for this shortcoming, allowing the audience to empathize with her region and begin to save.

Worthy of a sequel. This is rare in the horror genre.

Smile 2 is a dark and stylish horror that encourages you to push the boundaries of the genre. But the film’s ambitions at times focus on competitiveness. The finale hints at a sequel, and it’s clear that Finn is building a full-fledged franchise.

If you were captivated by the first part, the sequel is definitely worth your time. But for the new design, “Smile 2” may seem overloaded and too long.