“Smile 2,” Sequelsto the unsettling original horror flick, is now playing in theaters as of October 18, 2024.
It is a known fact that adults smile far less than children. Not only can a simple smile plastered across your face raise the hormones that boost your immune system, but a study also found that 69% of people found women who smile more attractive than women who wear make-up.
Smile 2, the psychological horror thriller that picks up right where the first left off, follows pop music superstar “Skye Riley” — who honestly not only resembles Lady Gaga, but also dances and even sounds a bit like the chameleon singer/actress. On the brink of a world tour, the global pop sensation starts to experience really creepy happenings, while being forced to face her gloomy, traumatic past.
To be completely honest, these days on the rare occasion that I actually catch a stranger smiling at me, I usually immediately suspect that my fly is down or I have a piece of my lunch stuck in the crack of my teeth. It is just something that happens far less frequently, at least to me.
I was a big fan of the original, unique “Smile” film for any of you keeping score, so going into the sequel it had some big shoes to fill. Did it measure up? Well, I will tell you, again no, like most sequels sadly, but it was not too far behind.
The lead actress Naomi Scott (“Aladdin”) was captivating to follow as she began her downward spiral. Suffering from a bad back, like many in real life, she turned to booze and pills to mask her unbearable pain. Taking that route is the real horror here.
“Smile 2” won’t necessarily make you smile, for a lack of a better term, but it will make you shriek more than once. You can’t help but feel something watching these poor souls suffer from an unknown spirit. Kind of the same way you witness the projections of a loved one who may be suffering from Bipolar disorder or some other hallucinogen.
The moral of the story here, try to smile more often even if it kills you Smiling is contagious and may just ward off some of those negative entities.
“Smile 2,” starring: Naomi Scott, Rosemarie DeWitt
Christopher’s “Meow” Score: “7” paws out of 10.
