Smile 2 review: Naomi Scotts shines in the Parker Finn film

The psychological horror film Smile 2, which is the second film in the widely acclaimed Smile franchise, premiered in theatres across the United States on October 18, 2024. Since its release, the film has received predominantly positive reactions from viewers, with some claiming that the second installment is even better than the first.

Naomi Scotts as Skye Riley, the protagonist of Smile 2 is one of the best parts of the film, followed closely by the film's story and cinematography. Be it emoting happiness with a bit of insanity, or grief with a sense of existential dread, Naomi peaks in the film in all aspects, making the film a must-watch.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers and reflects the author's opinions.

---

Naomi Scotts is immaculate as Skye Riley is Smile 2

Naomi Scott's character, Skye Riley, is one of the unique selling points of Smile 2 which draws viewers to the film. Her performance is remarkable right from the start, even before she encounters the entity.

Scotts skillfully addresses the challenges of Skye's profession, the ongoing anxiety of remaining relevant, and the impact of her past trauma through the impeccable portrayal of her character.

She also explores the fear of being dominated by an unfamiliar force and the mixed emotions that arise from this through her character's depiction.

In one of the most impactful scenes from the film, Skye finds herself questioning reality while she is in rehab. During this moment, her mother appears to take her own life with a broken piece of glass.

However, Skye later discovers that she is the one holding the bloodied shard in her hand. It dawns on her that this entity is manipulating her mind. The look of sheer terror on her face, stemming from her lack of control over her thoughts and the potential dangers they pose, is nothing short of brilliant.

---

Smile 2 seemingly sets the ground for future installments

The conclusion of Smile 2 implies that Skye died by taking her own life with the help of her microphone after engaging in several other troubling actions before the event.

However, various occurrences that led to the incident have prompted many viewers to think that the film's ending is not as straightforward as it appears to be and is, in fact, more ambiguous than the audiences perceived.

A major part of the film focused on clarifying which events involving Skye were real and which were not. For example, while the audience believed that Skye's mother had died in the second half of the movie (apparently at Skye's hands), it was eventually revealed at the end that she might still be alive, as shown by her being in the crowd at Skye's concert.

Given that Skye's mother’s reality was distorted by the end of the film, does this imply that Skye's reality was also altered? Skye may be still alive, and what the concertgoers, along with those watching from home witnessed, was a reflection of the hallucinations or supernatural experiences Skye was experiencing. This completely blurred the lines between reality and fantasy, leaving viewers in utter confusion.

In this case, a third installment in the Smile film series could typically answer questions related to Skye's fate and more.

---

Smile 2 is currently running in theatres across the United States.