How Smile 2‘s Fame-Fueled Nightmare Levels Up the Franchise—And Makes Its Future More Exciting

As a seasoned horror enthusiast and someone who has witnessed the rise and fall of numerous stars, I must say that Smile 2 is a chilling exploration of fame’s insidious horrors. Having spent years poring over biographies and documentaries, I can’t help but see a disturbingly accurate portrayal of the pressures and pitfalls of stardom in Skye Riley’s character.

Choosing between two difficult fates: Enduring a malevolent, tormenting spirit that thrives on suffering or grappling with the isolating despair of celebrity.

“Smile 2: A Haunting Tale Unfolding Now in Cinemas

In two years since the original “Smile” movie, a hit horror film that grossed over $217 million globally in 2022, the much-anticipated sequel from writer-director Parker Finn is set to release. The first installment focuses on Dr. Rose Cotter, portrayed by Sosie Bacon, a psychiatrist who encounters chilling visions following the bizarre suicide of one of her patients, who had been eerily grinning at her. It’s later revealed that she’s inherited a supernatural curse, manifested as a shape-shifting parasitic entity causing severe psychological distress for seven days before completely taking over its victims and compelling them to commit suicide in front of others, allowing the spirit to jump to a new host. This plotline shares similarities with classic horror films like “The Ring” and “It Follows”, but introduces a unique twist by heavily incorporating maniacal smiles.

Let’s put a smile on that face

In this instance, the demon prepares to inflict widespread pain by targeting Skye, a globally recognized music star who has experienced significant trauma. Previously, Skye’s reckless lifestyle led to a fatal car accident that claimed her boyfriend, Paul Hudson (the son of renowned actor Jack Nicholson), and left her with severe leg and back injuries. This crash marked the lowest point in Skye’s life, prompting her to quit partying and alcohol and grapple with overwhelming grief and guilt. Currently, she manages her addiction urges by consuming massive amounts of Voss water (an unusual product placement element that surprisingly becomes relevant) and struggling to control her shortened hair due to a newfound condition called Trichotillomania, which has developed since the accident.

At the start of the film, Skye is on the brink of making a professional resurgence. However, it’s evident that she is still tormented, both emotionally and physically. Due to her past struggles with substance abuse, doctors refuse to provide her with prescription painkillers. In desperation, Skye seeks help from an old acquaintance from high school, Lewis (played by Lukas Gage), who deals in less-regulated drugs, to obtain the Vicodin she needs to manage her back pain and deliver top-notch performances.

Sadly, Lewis stumbled upon a murder scene where none other than Rose’s former police boyfriend Joel (Kyle Gallner) was involved. You might recall that Joel had witnessed Rose’s self-immolation at the end of the first movie and brought about his own doom in the process. The beginning of Smile 2 depicts Joel trying to exploit the curse’s only known loophole by murdering a gangster’s henchman, hoping to shift the curse onto someone he deems worthy. However, things go awry and both gangsters end up dead in a gunfight, leaving Lewis – who was unbeknownst to Joel – as the sole survivor and inheritor of the curse. Joel flees but is tragically struck by an oncoming car in a gruesome scene that sets the grisly tone for the rest of the film’s duration.

The insidious horror of fame

In an unusual move for a follow-up horror film, Smile 2 surpasses its predecessor by amplifying the suspense, adding thrilling elements, and often increasing the discomfort as we witness each terrifying scene unfold until its chilling conclusion.

Even before she contracts the curse from Lewis, Skye is already in an impossible situation. Facing intense pressure to succeed from her label, manager mother (Rosemarie DeWitt), and legions of fans, any sign of weakness or unreliability is treated as evidence that she’s falling back down the rabbit hole of addiction and mental instability. At the height of her substance-fueled bad behavior, she estranged herself from her childhood best friend Gemma (Dylan Gelula), the only person with whom she was able to be truly vulnerable, and now has no one to confide in about her increasingly volatile headspace.

In simpler terms, we can say that the character Skye’s journey to hell symbolizes how our society often ruins and discards promising young celebrities, especially women, by associating her descent with the sinister influence of fame and its dark consequences.

Finn shared with the Hollywood Reporter that he’s captivated by the realm of pop music. He finds certain female artists, their personas especially, intriguing – these women hidden beneath the velvet stage curtains. As for the genesis of Smile 2, he stumbled upon the concept of a megastar named Skye Riley, and this idea sparked an electric excitement in him, causing him to become utterly captivated by it.

A predictably brutal end

In a somewhat disappointing turn, Smile 2 doesn’t fully live up to its initial promise. It leans heavily on the same device as the original film, suggesting that many of Skye’s experiences during her countdown toward the curse’s expiration are merely figments of her imagination. However, as one might have anticipated from the outset, when Skye stands before a roaring crowd at the stadium just as time expires and her ability to ward off the demon fades, it proves to be a truly chilling final surprise.

In the entire movie, Skye’s suicide is the only graphic scene, and the camera swiftly moves away from it. Instead, we are given a clear view of the distressing responses from her fans, as they become aware that they could be the ones to face the repercussions of the sinister possession. Finn suggests that the aftermath of this mass panic may have significant implications for the future of the series, but its exact role remains uncertain.

He shared with the Hollywood Reporter that Smile has numerous thrilling paths it could take. “The success of Smile 2 will determine some of those directions,” he said, “but what’s fascinating about Smile is its potential to explore a variety of unique narratives and transport us into various worlds, only for Smile to intrude upon them.

Still, it may make you think twice about whether it’s all worth it the next time you’re spending hours waiting in a Ticketmaster queue.

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2024-10-18 21:06