By Reviews are in for Parker Finn’s “Smile 2,” the upcoming sequel to his supernatural thriller of 2022 which became a surprise hit – grossing $217 million worldwide from a $17 million budget.
The new film tackles a different story as while on a 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 to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.
Kyle Gallner reprises his role of Joel from the first film, while Rosemarie DeWitt, Lukas Gage, Raúl Castillo. Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Peter Jacobson, Dylan Gelula and Ray Nicholson co-star.
Reviews are in and on par with the first. On Rotten Tomatoes the sequel currently has 55 reviews and sits at 82% (6.7/10) compared to the first film’s 80% (6.6/10). On Metacritic it’s a similar story with a 65 for the sequel compared to the 68 for the first.
Here’s a sampling of review quotes:
“Smile 2 is more of the same. A lot more. But it’s just as scary, and this time it’s feistier and funnier, proving that the premise has legs and also some malleability.” – William Bibbiani, The Wrap
“More than anything, this sequel is proof of the endless versatility that could turn “Smile” movies into an October box office fixture for decades to come.” – Christian Zilko, Indiewire
“Still, there’s much to be said for a director so unencumbered by timidity, and the sequel will leave plenty of horror fans grinning from ear to ear.” – David Rooney, THR
“[Finn’s] second feature may not be as consistent a rollercoaster ride as his maiden effort, but it gets the job done frequently enough to be a chart-topper.” – Nick Schager, The Daily Besst
“The movie is hardly subtle, yet Parker Finn has become a clever enough filmmaker to make reality feel like a hallucination and hallucinations feel like reality.” – Owen Gleiberman, Variety
“It’s not just the sequel’s razor-sharp and inventive, gory scares that surpass its predecessor, but a profoundly complicated heroine shaping the edgier style of horror.” – Meagan Navarro, Bloody Disgusting
“Writer/director Parker Finn ably overcomes the sophomore jinx and delivers a sequel that stays true to the initial inspiration while finding a new, and significantly bigger, story to tell.” – Michael Gingold, Rue Morgue Magazine
“Smile 2 has its audacious moments but, as Finn’s script unveils implausible plot twists, this sequel elicits neither terror nor smiles but, rather, shrugs.” – Tim Grierson, Screen
“Smile 2 gets too bogged down with the travails of its lead woman under the influence. By the end we really are ready to get off this ride.” – Pete Hammond, Deadline
The film is set to open in cinemas on Friday and is currently tracking for a $20-25 million debut domestically – about on par with the original. Check out the recently released final trailer below.
The post The “Smile 2” Reviews Are In appeared first on Dark Horizons.
