Plot: What’s it about?
I’ve seen a lot of movies in my day and odds are there are plenty more to come. Though certain ones stand out, there’s a big grey area of movies that I either vaguely remember watching and some I just don’t seem to remember at all. Does that make these bad or is my memory simply not what it used to be (or both)? The original Smile fits nicely into that category. I seem to remember some elements from it, mainly the creepy “smile” that the film is associated with, but aside from that I was drawing a blank. So when my wife and I watched Smile 2, I had told her that I’d not seen it. I literally had no recollection of it. She pulled up this site (a rarity), showed me the review that I wrote to which I responded “Well hell…I guess I did see it.” Odds are that when you can’t remember the original film in a series, its successor probably won’t be much better. And…it isn’t.
We meet Skye Riley (Naomi Scott), she’s a pop star who’s trying to mount a comeback tour. A year prior she was in a car accident that killed her boyfriend and left her physically and emotionally scarred. She was also under the influence of drugs. In an effort to diffuse the pain, she seeks out her old drug dealer Lewis (Lukas Gage) who has, you guessed it, the titular curse and he passes it onto her by bashing his face with a weight. Yes, really. You can’t make this stuff up. This leads Skye to start having weird hallucinations that involve people with creepy smiles. Add to the mix, her mother (Rosemarie Dewitt) forces her into professional commitments that she’s not up to and her best friend, Gemma (Dylan Gelula) doesn’t offer much assistance. Evidently being famous isn’t all its cracked up to be.
I almost wanted to go back and watch the original, mainly because I still had no recollection of seeing it. But after finishing this one (and it’s amazing how long 127 minutes can seem), I nixed that idea. I know that a sequel is supposed to deliver things bigger and bolder than the original, but it just doesn’t work here. It’s eerily predictable what’s going to happen at nearly every turn, the lead actress seems to go over the top with her performance and while some might get off on gratuitous violence – it was a turn off for me. Couple that with the film’s running time – over two hours – which simply doesn’t work here. I’m sure this film has its fans and given the generally high praise it received from critics (I have no idea why), we’ll likely see another installment. And that’s too bad.
Video: How’s it look?
And…here we go again! Smile 2 is the latest in a series of films that utilize the 2.00:1 aspect ratio. I use the word utilize not that I’m trying to wow anyone with my vocabulary, rather it helps create a more claustrophobic feel. And good horror movies use every weapon in their arsenal to create that sense of uneasiness and uncertainty. It works. Looking at the technical quality, I found nothing wrong with the transfer. I don’t hand out those perfect scores review arbitrarily, so let me say that every aspect of this film looks spot on. HDR offers additional contrast in the darker scenes (of which there are many), detail is razor sharp and flesh tones are picture perfect. Suffice it to say that with this one – it’s worth getting the 4K disc.
Audio: How’s it sound?
Not to be outdone, this 4K version sports a Dolby Atmos track , though if you opt for the Blu-ray, it’s there as well. Good on you, Paramount – not holding out the atmospheric track with the Blu-ray. All the boxes are checked with this one, creepy surround effects, height channels fully engaged, crisp and clean vocals and so forth. The movie itself is creepy enough that it already has the viewer on edge, but the audio really reels them in. What the film lacks on plot and character development, it does excel in the technical department.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Audio Commentary — Take a peek behind the smile with commentary from writer/director Parker Finn as he goes through the gory details of this terrifying sequel.
- Ear To Ear — Cast and filmmakers dive deep into the film’s universe and discuss how they brought the director’s vision to life.
- The Rise and Fall of Skye Riley — Naomi Scott brings you into the cursed life of pop star Skye Riley.
- Behind The Music — Take an inside look at the music and choreography from the film.
- A New Smile — Kyle Gallner gives insight into his character’s gory return and filmmakers break down the film’s intense first moments.
- Smiler: A New Monster — Bigger, bolder, and more insane! Take a behind-the-scenes look at the grotesque monster behind the smile.
- Turn That Frown Upside Down — Meet Lewis, a friend of Skye, and get an in-depth look at the gruesome make-up and prosthetics behind his terrifying smile.
- Show Me Your Teeth — Explore how the filmmakers captured the uniquely horrifying car crash.
- Deleted and Extended Scenes
The Bottom Line
There are a lot of talented individuals in the film industry and it’s amazing that we can come up with movies like this. I’m probably being a bit too hard on the movie, but it just simply wasn’t for me. To its credit, though, it looks and sounds good and has enough supplemental content to warrant a purchase if you’re so inclined.
