Review: Smile 2
Smile 2 opens with a promising start, setting up an eerie tone that hints at an exciting psychological horror experience. However, it quickly spirals downhill, failing to maintain any momentum. With a bloated runtime of 2 hours and 7 minutes, this movie drags painfully—so much so that boredom feels inevitable for most of the viewing.
The story moves at a snail’s pace, and despite attempts to build tension, it ends up going nowhere. I’m genuinely puzzled by the positive reviews it has received. While some claim it’s one of the best sequels they’ve seen in a while, I think it’s the opposite—one of the worst. The narrative is all over the place, making it difficult to follow, and instead of clever ambiguity, it just feels messy. You’re left wondering what’s real and what’s merely inside the protagonist’s mind, but not in a way that creates intrigue—just confusion.
Spoiler Alert: The movie concludes with the main character committing suicide in front of an audience, leaving an unresolved question: Has the creature now infected everyone who saw it, or only one person? By that point, I didn’t care. I was just relieved the film had ended.
In the end, Smile 2 was a chore to sit through. It lacked coherence, suspense, and a satisfying payoff. If another Smile movie comes out, I won’t be watching. This one was enough to turn me away from the franchise for good.