Smile 2
2024 · Directed by Parker Finn
Original language: English
- horror
- mystery
The story
About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley 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.
What it’s like
Cold, washed-out daylight and sterile interiors give way to saturated stage lights and blue-black nights, with the camera staying close and often handheld on a performer's face as the world around her blurs. Winter New York is grey and wet, its streets and hotel corridors lit by harsh fluorescents and the glare of phone screens, while concert sequences flood into hot pinks and electric whites that feel almost aggressive. The score leans on pulsing synth and pop production that keeps cutting out into deep silence, so every dance number sounds like it could tip into something else. The pacing is brisk and escalating, built on jolts and dread more than sustained calm, and the emotional register is anxious and brittle, following a young star slowly unravelling under the weight of fame and buried grief. Violence is frequent and sharp: jump scares, disturbing imagery, self-harm and suicide themes, and several graphic, gory deaths, along with drug use and crude language. It suits a late night alone with the lights off, for viewers who want bold pop-horror atmosphere and can handle unsettling, bloody set pieces; it is not for anyone seeking something gentle.
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