From the opening 10 minutes, I knew this was going to be an insane ride. Smile 2 takes everything I loved about the first film and turns it up to 11. Every jump scare, fake out, and nasty body horror moments were all elevated to another level. The concept of the smile curse attaching itself to a pop star was really interesting and director Parker Finn does a great job making parallels between the stress filled life of an entertainer and the anxiety inducing nature of the smile curse itself. Naomi Scott does an amazing job as our main character Skye, in what is easily one her best performances to date. Like the original, Smile 2 has beautifully crisp cinematography. Charlie Sarroff once again brings his uniquely inventive shots to this franchise, and I continue to be impressed by every upside down shot that has become a signature in these films. Seeing how far this series has come has been amazing. From a short film in the festival circuit, to a full-blown franchise, Smile makes me excited for other independent films coming up.
