Smile 2
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ (out of 5 stars)
Sequels are never an easy undertaking. They always come with a lot of expectation and weight. How to replicate the same success but just… differently, or how to iterate the formula to give the original deeper meaning. Parker Finn’s Smile 2 attempts to go beyond those questions and constraints that come with sequel territory but instead tries to elevate the psychological horror genre.
About to embark on her new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her dark past in order to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.
The first thing that’s made abundantly clear is director Parker Finn’s intentional use of the camera, which stands out as technically impressive and incredibly creative. The opening scene is a testament to both of these principles, being a complex singular shot of action and violence the whole way through up until the title sequence. And it doesn’t end there. Almost every scene has a unique shot or setup that stands out in horrific yet beautiful fashion, turning simple exchanges of dialogue into creative and confronting pieces. Finn’s relationship with cinematographer Charlie Sarrof, who also shot the first film, is undoubtedly one to look out for in the future.
This chemistry of visual and aural assault also carries through into the horrors and violence that the film boasts front and centre. Jump scars are prevalent in almost every scene to create a terrifying effect. This demonstrates Finn’s ability to create tension before releasing it to the skip of every audience’s heartbeat. When the audience isn’t being shocked by loud bangs or sudden movements every five minutes, extreme violence and over-the-top prosthetics take their place. This sequel doesn’t hold back but shows every drop of blood and protruding bone in all its disgusting glory.
Then there’s all the… smiling people. Thanks to its viral marketing campaign, the original Smile brought this uncomfortable phenomenon to the forefront of its audience and those unacquainted. Unfortunately, for the sequel, it becomes difficult to channel that same fear, having seen it once before already. This chapter does make attempts to put creative twists on the idea. However, it’s still more of the same and is used as a storytelling device rather than the source of any actual fear.
Smile 2 is, in a word, aggressive. The long-awaited sequel holds no punches and forces the audience to endure an overwhelming cinematic experience of extreme violence, non-stop jump-scares and more uncomfortably smiling people than you can count. However, that’s not to say that there isn’t a thorough understanding of the craft on display or that there isn’t anything unique about the film compared to other tongue-in-cheek horror films of the past decade. In fact, quite the opposite. A movie that will leave audience members disturbed, gasping for air, and, most of all, grinning ear to ear.
REEL DIALOGUE: We have nothing to fear
Supernatural horror films are funny: some people watch them and enjoy being scared because they are fiction and not something that could happen in real life. But as a Christian who believes that Jesus is a real person in history, God’s son, and can perform miracles, I know that the supernatural realm is not to be taken too lightly – if angels exist, then why not demons?
Some may ask if I need to be fearful when I watch a supernatural horror film? Not if I believe that Jesus’ power and authority are such that he rules over Death and all within its dominion, such as demons and evil spirits. Jesus performed his greatest miracle in returning to life after dying on the cross, something celebrated recently at Easter, and the Bible tells us he is seated in Heaven now, waiting to return. I can take assurance then when I watch a film such as ‘Evil Dead Rise’ that there is nothing to fear, knowing that Jesus reigns supreme. If you want to find out more, then read one of the Gospel accounts that tells us about Jesus’ time here on Earth and what he came to do.
“Where O Death is your victory? Where O Death is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. - 1 Corinthians 15:55-58
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