Smile 2 - 4K Review
Paramount Home Entertainment
Certificate 18
****
With the success of Smile in 2022 it was inevitable that a sequel would be greenlit as quickly as possible and of course one was but no one expected it to be a just as good, if not better!
About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley (a sensational 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.
Smartly starting almost exactly where the first movie finished, writer/director Parker Finn raises the stakes and the violence to new levels with a script which takes the story into a larger arena (literally) and gives us one of the best sequels of the last twenty years or so.
As I just mentioned Naomi Scott is mesmerising as the jaded star who is haunted not just by her demons but all the skeletons in her closet too. She’s ably supported by a cast who really get what this movie is all about. Miles Gutierrez-Riley who plays put upon PA is able to deliver some light relief which perfectly peppers the movie which not only acts as a horror movie but an insight in what it must be like to be famous and having to do such things as “meet and greets”.
Back to the cast and Rosemarie DeWitt who plays Skye’s mother is perfectly pushy as the domineering matriarch whilst Lukas Gage who is drug supplying Lewis delivers an off-kilter and deliberately crazed performance. But the film belongs to Scott who puts her heart and soul into bringing Skye to life. Her acting, dancing and singing skills are utilized to the full and although 2024 had another “rock star” in its major plot, M. Night Shyamalan’s rather simplistic thriller The Trap.
As you’d expect the transfer is crisp with a wonderful colour scheme which never bleeds or fades even during the stage performances. Each sequin and stich on Skye’s costume can easily be picked out. The Dolby Atmos soundtrack is engrossing and really puts you in the centre of the movie. The overhead effects are subtle but most evident during the superb first 10 minutes or so.
The disc has a fine selection of extras including a gag track from Parker Finn who relishes the chance to talk about this piece, then there’s a selection of short docs including Ear To Ear where cast and crew chat about how they brought the movie to life, The Rise and Fall of Skye Riley gives Scott the chance to talk about bringing Skye to life, Behind The Music looks at the music and choreography from the film, A New Smile has Kyle Gallner giving insight into his character’s gory return and filmmakers break down the film's intense first moments, Smiler: A New Monster is a behind-the-scenes look at the grotesque monster behind the smile, Turn That Frown Upside Down dissects the gruesome make-up and prosthetics behind his Lewis’s terrifying smile, Show Me Your Teeth looks at the uniquely horrifying car crash and there’s some Deleted and Extended Scenes to finish the disc.
Smile 2 is a rare thing, a follow-up which manages to retain the originality of the first whilst also managing to bring a fresh slant to it. Highly recommended.
