Post by PhantomKnight on Oct 26, 2024 11:06:55 GMT -5
2022's Smile was something of a surprise. Yes, it very much had the trappings of a jump scare-heavy studio horror movie, but much like James Wan's work in my opinion, it was a studio horror movie done well, made with real skill and a pretty cutting undercurrent focused on exploring trauma and mental illness. And now here we have Smile 2, and both things are very much true with this film as well...along with a certain thing inherent in the premise that could become a problem if even more sequels get made with this same conceit. More on that in a minute, though. Most of all, what Smile 2 proves is that the first film definitely wasn't a fluke in terms of the style of writer/director Parker Finn, because this guy's got it when it comes to creating a strong horror mood and atmosphere. This film opens with a scene that bridges the two films, done in one-shot style, and there already, a sense of tension and suspense settles over the proceedings that continues to grow as the film goes on. Yes, Smile 2 once again employs a lot of jump scares, arguably a bit too many, but what makes them ultimately work is the fact that they're planted amidst such a strong atmosphere that keeps you tense for so much of the running time, that I'm still okay with giving them a pass here...for now, Mr. Finn. But also, part of that is the instinctual fun that that of aspect of this kind of horror film can inspire. At least with my experience here, I was constantly tensing up in anticipation for them because the tone and enveloping sense of atmosphere was so palpable, that it's enjoyably instinctual. It's not just the overall creepiness that works here, though, but also the lead performance by Naomi Scott. I've been waiting for her to really break out ever since Aladdin, and here, she really gets to showcase her acting chops. Much like with Sosie Bacon in the first film, Scott just feels so raw and believably losing-her-mind. All those close-ups on her terrified face sure do help, but it's also Scott herself, who convinces you of this character's trauma and mental fragility so well. This movie deals more with the idea of addiction in a way and trying to cope with trauma while in the limelight, which gives the movie as a whole and Scott's performance a slightly fresher feel. But, man, Parker Finn sure knows how to pick actors who can believably portray a complete mental breakdown. So much of this movie rides on Naomi Scott's performance, and she absolutely delivers.
That segues into a...concern I now have if Smile is to become a new franchise. Well, maybe two. One of them is how this evil entity at the heart of everything routinely makes its victims hallucinate things, people or events that aren't real. Something like that works fine at first, but the more a movie goes back to that well, the more it risks that impeding our overall investment in what we're seeing. Smile 2 approached the line not to cross there, but doesn't quite do so, but I will still say that this movie does it maybe a few too many times. The other concern has to do with how to deal with this smiling demon, or lack thereof of many legit options. This film continues the angle that you're basically screwed once this thing gets hold of you no matter what you do, making it an overpowered threat, and that creates a kind of "What's the point, then?" question. This movie at least presents an interesting possible solution about midway through, but if there's gonna be a Smile 3, 4, 5, etc., then some shake-ups need to happen, both in terms of trying to combat this thing and in terms of overall narrative drive.
Smile 2 is still able to get away with it thanks to its overall filmmaking, and the ending presents an idea that I would be very much intrigued to see some follow-through on, but I just hope Parker Finn has more in his bag of tricks here before the game starts getting overplayed.
***/****
