A pop star with a troubled past encounters the Smile Entity and gradually and painfully descends into madness.
Eerie, creepy, and dark, with great performances. Two years after the first film, Smile (2022): https://kaygazpro.com/smile-2022-horror-mystery-thriller/ writer/director Parker Finn comes back with a sequel that aims to shock. This time, he gets the beautiful person and actress Naomi Scott with him, and together, they achieve something that doesn’t happen often: a sequel better than the original. And bear in mind that the original was great despite my negative comments about the ending.
Smile 2 has some solid, strong suits. The opening scene sets the foundation for something spectacular. Kyle Gallner is spectacular himself and a good friend of Finn’s, and they open the film with a thrilling action scene that will resonate with you. From then on, Finn uses the camera in a way that reflects the Entity’s point of view. There are numerous sequences within the film where both the action and the way the action’s portrayal will give you goosebumps, make you jump and scream and shock you to your core. Finn has used plenty of cinematic techniques to manipulate your experience and make it unforgettable. His effort, of course, wouldn’t have paid off if it wasn’t for Scott. She shares Finn’s vision and adds her personality and talent to bring to life the image of a pop star we all think we relate to but a person that no one ever will. And here’s what I mean by that…
Besides Finn’s filmmaking techniques, Smile 2 enhances Smile‘s subliminal message. There will be times when we’ll feel alone. Times when we’ll feel abandoned, and no matter how many people are around us, we’ll still feel the same. Because no one will understand what we go through, and because people will think that we are all right, they will be cheerful… smiling! This can drive a person mad and make them descend into madness, regardless of their money, status, age, sex, etc… In both Smile films, the lack of understanding and feeling of isolation are manifested through the Entity’s effects on our body, soul, and mind.
This is why my negative comments on Smile‘s ending apply here, too. No CGI monster can be worse than fear of loneliness and abandonment. But you’ll be the judge of that. Speaking of judgement…
People think they know one another. They don’t. They only know what they allow one another to know. More often than not, what’s on the outside does not reflect the inside. That’s why we shouldn’t judge people by their appearance – we shouldn’t judge people, period. Upon watching the film, ask yourself this: Have social media turned people into what you see around you, or have they just surfaced it?
Happy Halloween!
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