There’s plenty for horror fans to “Smile” about, because filmmaker Parker Finn takes The Entity’s savage nature to a whole new level in Smile 2. Finn’s supernatural duology began thanks to his own short film, Laura Hasn’t Slept, back in 2020. Today, though, it’s exciting to witness just how deliciously diabolical Finn’s new psychological horror sequel is, as the villain begins terrorizing pop star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott). When asked if the increased savagery of The Entity was a result of its mounting victims, or if it was because of Skye’s “turbulent” mind, Finn answered by telling Bloody Disgusting:
“A little of both. And I love that you latched onto that because that was exactly what was on my mind, was this sense of feeling like it’s such a personal thing for each person it interacts with. I really wanted to make sure that it felt really truly tied to Skye and her world, this big world that she has. So, it felt very right to go bigger, to go more brutal, more insane, more savage, as you put it.”
Finn, who wrote and directed both Smile films, continued by saying in the same sit-down:
“I wanted to make sure that if I was going to ask audiences to give me their time again, that I wasn’t just doing a traditional continuation or a simple retread of the first, but something that felt truly surprising and unexpected that had Smile coursing through its veins but also had its own identity, its own metabolism.”
The upgrade of The Entity helped Smile 2 win over critics and fans alike during the film’s opening weekend. And, at the time of this writing, Finn’s follow-up registers 83% on the Tomatometer against 131 reviews posted to Rotten Tomatoes. That’s an even better grade than the original Smile (80%) scored in 2022.
And audiences are digging the craziness and carnage even more as the film boasts 85% on the Popcornmeter with 500+ verified ratings. But make no mistake, it’s not just The Entity that makes this horror movie worth seeing. Naomi Scott is a tour de force as the unsuspecting pop star, Skye Riley.
Inside Smile 2’s ‘Quite Flawed’ Heroine
Smile 2 is all but assured of ascending to No. 1 at the box office, following on the heels of Terrifier 3’s reign at the top last weekend. And one of the things that makes the horror sequel work so well is the film’s heroine, Skye Riley, who is portrayed perfectly by Naomi Scott. And casting the movie’s global pop star was a high priority for filmmaker Parker Finn. The writer and director elaborated on the Smile sequel’s superstar musician in the same interview by saying:
“We meet this real human being who’s quite tragic, quite flawed. She has some serious stuff that she’s dealing with, but she’s harboring it all inside. She feels that she can’t speak about it to anybody. Even though she’s surrounded by people all day, every day, she’s the loneliest person in the world.
It just felt that there’s something about that level of fame, about all the expectations put upon you that you don’t have any agency over your life. You’re sort of trapped by this character you’ve become. To me, it felt like a perfect starting place for a Smile film.”
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Smile 2’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Something To Smile About
The sequel to Smile, which became a surprise box office hit, is being called bigger, scarier, and gorier than its 2022 predecessor.
Smile 2 is now playing in theaters. And for those who are still on the fence about whether to see the sequel or not, be sure to check out MovieWeb’s Smile 2 review, which declares that “Naomie Scott elevates gruesome mediocrity.” Fortunately for the follow-up, most fans clearly disagree with that assessment, and, as a result, the film received an impressive “B” CinemaScore during its opening weekend.
About to embark on a new 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.
- Release Date
- October 18, 2024
- Director
- Parker Finn
- Distributor(s)
- Paramount Pictures