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[REVIEW] ‘Smile 2’ Sees Parker Finn up the Ante on Sights, Sounds, and Scares

From its opening sequence, I knew that Smile 2 would be everything I wanted from the first Smile film. Aside from its excellent scripting and some true blue moments of terror from actress Sosie Bacon, the first film felt, unfortunately, underwhelming in how it utilized the horror of having your reality slowly stolen from you. Parker Finn’s directing and Charlie Saroff’s cinematography elevate what would be just a collection of solid scares and pitch-black humor into an enjoyably bleak supernatural experience, the most disturbing parts of which are its human ones. The raw human sorrow it generates, and the feeling of hopelessness it forces you to sit in. It’s a film about the slow and painful consumption of a performer by the masses, and what’s left behind as a result. And it’s what makes Smile 2 a damn good horror sequel.

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From its opening sequence, I knew that Smile 2 would be everything I wanted from the first Smile film. Aside from its excellent scripting and some true blue moments of terror from actress Sosie Bacon, the first film felt, unfortunately, underwhelming in how it utilized the horror of having your reality slowly stolen from you.

I had doubts about a sequel beyond that since the Smile movies’ conceit also necessitates running through a plot that you’ve already seen before but in newer and more creative ways. When the “rules” of a monster are as constraining on the narrative as this one, there are only so many avenues the film can take leading to its inevitable ending. It’s a plot that demands you up the ante and make every moment before the credits count and feel worthwhile. And Parker Finn’s Smile 2 manages to do that.

It begins with a full-tilt, anxiety-inducing opening sequence that will leave you wracked with tension. Finn’s camerawork at the start proudly announces what’s to come: while the first Smile sat in steady shots and moments of relative silence to try and creep you out, Smile 2 cranks the amps, making you feel the cacophony of noise and chaos that will soon be plaguing the film’s superstar in mind and body. It’s a showstopping tone-setter, marking the beginning of a great sequel.

With a new album out and a world tour set to begin in a week, singer-songwriter Skye Riley is the comeback kid in the eyes of the media. But behind the scenes, the loss of her boyfriend in a highly publicized car crash, as well as her own substance abuse and self-harm issues, prove to make for anything but a glamorous return. As Skye tries to manage her physical pain from the accident, she witnesses the sudden and brutal suicide of an old friend, with an unnatural smile on his face as he does it. Soon, she finds herself carrying more than guilt for being unable to stop him: the visions of smiling people, both dead and alive, have begun to haunt her, and they’re only getting worse as her grasp on what’s real blurs into nothingness.

The film gives us a messy character to root for in Skye Riley, portrayed in an exceptional performance by Naomi Scott. She feels real and raw, contrasting the artificial persona she’s forced to inhabit and the parasocial leeching she has to stomach. The film goes to lengths to show the skin she’s forced to slough off and put back on to please the people around her, sequins and spandex, and all manner of concert outfits as she walks between living like a human and being treated as a cash cow performer. Naomi Scott in turn dons the resulting exhaustion and misery like a glove and embodies the film’s ideas of a person being left with nothing to give.

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Scott is the quintessential pop star trying to be neatly redeemed through the press, and repressing all her emotions until she has to vomit them back out to disastrous effect. She conjures all the parts of Skye’s breakdown, both horrifying and mortifying, with pure dread. Her torture throughout the film feels even more relentless than Rose Cotter’s before her, and it’s due in large part to Scott’s facial acting being dialed in; her eyes manage to anchor the audience’s fear to her own and drag them down to her level.

Still, the film’s writing of her situation regularly dances and springs on the delicate line between “that’s hilarious” and “that’s depressing”, which is undoubtedly skillful. To inject great dark comedy in horror is a lot like composing musical comedy, in that it requires more than being just good at both, it requires shared excellence between the two. Certainly, not every intentional joke hits, but the subtlest moments it has to offer always do. Either way, don’t expect the film to be as strait-laced as the first entry.

In terms of how Smile 2 follows up on its predecessor’s well-loved effects, it’s about on par with what we’ve seen before. Some of the CGI fails to hit its mark, but every wound we’re subjected to, large and small, feels like they’re wrenched from true flesh and blood. Spoilers if you haven’t seen Smile, since this is something that happens in both films, but my one major complaint is the big demonic reveal of The Entity’s “true form”. The final number we saw from the previous film is back with some shiny new paint, and while the compositing of digital and practical effects for this sequence is well done, the “improvements” that have been made to the creature’s look feel overdesigned and a little hokey compared to the pure nightmare fuel we were fed in the climax of Smile. The monster looks a bit irreverent, given the film builds up a genuinely emotional streak throughout it only to cap off on meaty, wide-eyed insanity. That being said, those final shots are still tough to forget in their grotesqueness, and it’s an effective closer that does exactly what it needs to.

Parker Finn’s directing and Charlie Saroff’s cinematography elevate what would be just a collection of solid scares and pitch-black humor into an enjoyably bleak supernatural experience, the most disturbing parts of which are its human ones. The raw human sorrow it generates, and the feeling of hopelessness it forces you to sit in. It’s a film about the slow and painful consumption of a performer by the masses, and what’s left behind as a result. And it’s what makes Smile 2 a damn good horror sequel.

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Luis Pomales-Diaz is a freelance writer and lover of fantasy, sci-fi, and of course, horror. When he isn't working on a new article or short story, he can usually be found watching schlocky movies and forgotten television shows.

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‘The Innkeepers’ (2011) Review: Ti West’s Horror Gem

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A little over a year ago, I had the opportunity to catch a new film that reminded me of one of the films that sparked my interest in analyzing films in the first place. Sweet Relief was a fun and well-crafted modern mumblegore film that brought Ti West’s The Innkeepers back into my mind. I first watched The Innkeepers shortly before leaving for college, and I was stunned by how incredibly effective it was. To celebrate Dark Sky Select’s 4K steelbook release of The Innkeepers, I decided to give the film a well-deserved rewatch.

The Innkeepers: A Haunting Ghost Story

The Innkeepers follows Claire (Sara Paxton) and Luke (Pat Healy), the last two employees of The Yankee Pedlar Inn. Claire and Luke find themselves working during the hotel’s last week in operation. They also happen to be amateur ghost hunters. Due to the small number of guests, Claire and Luke have some time to put their ghost hunting tools to good use. As the hunting begins, the terror checks in. Is there more to this ghost story than meets the eye?

Before his flashy slasher trilogy, Ti West’s films had a darker, more personal feel to them. After wowing audiences with his satanic panic masterpiece The House of the Devil, Ti West tackled the true terrors of the supernatural. As much as I adore Ti West, this would be his last film that perfectly balances style and substance. Obviously, the goal of an artist is to grow and transform as a filmmaker, but this feels like West’s last intimate film.

Mumblegore Dialogue: Natural and Grounded

The Innkeepers keeps with the mumblegore-like dialogue West was so great at creating. There’s still that improvisational, but naturalistic, feel to their words. And while the situation becomes extraordinary, the dialogue still feels grounded in reality. Somehow, for a 2011 film, West finds a way to competently direct actors in saying the words “epic” and “failblog”. It’s the exposition of the film that truly sets it apart from others like it. While talking with a child in the lobby, Claire reveals the backstory of Madeline O’Malley and her untimely suicide in the hotel. It’s a small moment that could easily be a throwaway detail to provide the audience with the necessary backstory. But it’s Sara Paxton’s performance that sells the scene.

Speaking of, both Sara Paxton and indie darling Pat Healy absolutely tear it up on screen. Sara Paxton’s performance is reserved and lived in. She carries herself awkwardly, with little self-confidence, but still finds a way to be charming. Indie darling Pat Healy chews up the scenery with his Tintin-like faux hawk and a Red Bull-infused high energy. Not only do they steal their respective scenes alone, but they also play off each other like a fast-paced tennis volley.

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Supernatural Horror Done Right

Ti West’s magnum opus handles the supernatural element in a much cleaner, fascinating way than most ghost films. The slow pace highlights the mundanity of working-class life that quickly becomes tense through the creeping terror of Madeline O’Malley and her growing cohorts of terror. There’s a certain unbalanced feel to the film’s three-act structure that lends an air of authenticity to it. Whereas most supernatural films feel the need to do more, The Innkeepers understands that it’s okay to do less. It’s how the scares are delivered that sets this film apart.

If you haven’t seen The Innkeepers, then you’re truly missing out on one of the subgenre’s greatest hits. That being said, I don’t think this film is for everyone. Ti West asks a lot from his audience, and I can understand that some people won’t want to go with him on this ride. It’s talky and demands full attention. But if you’re willing to sit with the film and let it work its magic, you won’t be disappointed.

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[REVIEW] Fantastic Fest 2025: ‘Primate’ Is the Animal-Attack-Meets-Slasher Movie You Didn’t Know You Needed

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If that one scene in Nope (you know the one) wasn’t enough to convince you that owning a chimpanzee is a bad idea, Primate is here to remind you that these animals can literally rip you limb from limb. Directed by Johannes Roberts, who also co-wrote the script with Ernest Riera, the film is scheduled to release in January—and if it wasn’t on your radar before, allow me to firmly add it.

PSA: Primate Proves That Chimps Are Not Pets (But They Are Great Slasher Killers)

Primate begins with a pre-credits scene introducing us to the danger: a vet has been called to check in on a chimp named Ben that isn’t feeling so hot, only to discover the hard way that the super-strong animal has gone rabid. It’s an evocative opening, though it does create a little timeline confusion when we jump back in time a few days to follow Lucy (Johnny Sequoyah) as she returns home to Hawaii to see her family and their unusual pet.

Her late mother, we learn, worked with Ben for years before her death, and he remains a beloved member of the family, able to communicate most basic needs via the use of sign language and a special tablet. Ben is acting a little off, though, so Lucy’s father (Academy Award-winner Troy Kotsur, in a stand-out role) calls in the vet we’ve already seen die before heading out for the night.

Of course, we know that Ben has rabies, so it’s only a matter of time before he goes bananas. In the meantime, Lucy, her sister, and their friends get to living it up while they have the place to themselves. The family owns a gorgeous secluded mansion complete with a cliffside infinity pool, and if you’ve seen The Strangers: Prey at Night, you’ll know Roberts loves a pool. He quickly finds a reason to drive the young people into it and trap them there—but just because chimps can’t swim, that doesn’t mean they’re safe.

Blending Animal Attack Horror with Slasher Thrills in Primate

One of the biggest things going for Primate is its ability to blend classic animal attack horror with slasher elements. The film draws clear inspiration from Cujo, but where the Trentons were largely safe from the beast’s foaming maw (if not the sun) so long as they stayed inside their vehicle, Lucy and friends aren’t so lucky. As the tagline for Primate warns, Ben is “dangerously close to human,” which means he understands how to use tools and constantly finds creative ways to take a swipe at his prey whenever they and the audience let their guard down. The sicker the chimp gets, the more he seems to radiate a savage, all-too-human glee.

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At the same time, Roberts and Riera’s script leverages the communication gap between Ben and the family to devastating effect. Ben is so close to being able to tell them what’s wrong before his rabies progresses to the point of no return, but he doesn’t quite have the language. The fact that Lucy’s father is deaf adds an additional layer to the tragedy: we see how expressive the family is able to be through non-verbal communication, yet Ben is still isolated in his misery.

Toward the climax, however, even this form of communication starts to break down as the girls’ screams go unheard. While it feels like there’s more material that could have been wrung from this theme, it’s notable that Ben goes for the mouth more than once during his rampage, including in the film’s most memorable kill. In the end, maybe all communication is meaningless when nature decides to play a cruel prank.

Miguel Torres Umba’s Incredible Performance as Rabid Chimp Ben

This tragic aspect of the story doesn’t dampen the scares or thrills. Movement specialist Miguel Torres Umba, who portrays Ben, initially imbues the chimp with lovable warmth that makes his feverish, trembling intensity all the more frightening as the sickness takes hold. It’s a remarkable performance, one that lulls the audience into a similar state of wishful thinking to Lucy as she repeatedly reaches out to Ben in the hope that some part of the pet she loved is still in there. Primate rewards that desperate desire with brutal bites, bludgeonings, and beyond.

Primate Is a Lean, Mean, Face-Ripping Machine

Animal attack horror movies have trended hard toward sharks in the last decade (a world Roberts is no stranger to, having helmed 47 Meters Down and its sequel). It’s exciting to see a new addition to this subgenre focusing on a lesser-seen aggressor, especially one that doesn’t frame its killer creature as inherently evil, but rather a victim of both a natural blight and human foolishness. Ben should never have been put in the position he’s in—but now he’s here, it’s pulse-poundingly fun to see the damage that 100+ pounds of pure muscle can do when its brain is on fire.

Primate attacks theaters on January 9.

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