Dubbed one of the scariest movies of the year, the “Smile” universe returns with a bang. Smile 2, released on October 18th, is set to become one of the top 30 highest grossing movies of the year in domestic box office. Building upon its eerie foundation, this movie is truly unsettling in all the best ways.

      Directed by Parker Finn, the “Smile” universe revolves around a malevolent entity, who attaches itself to individuals, drives them insane, and ultimately to suicide.     

     The film follows pop star Skye Riley, portrayed by Naomi Scott, most famously known for playing Jasmine in the 2019 Aladdin. Skye grapples with a supernatural curse amidst a comeback tour after a tragic accident and the loss of her boyfriend, actor Paul Hudson. This movie explores themes of trauma, addiction, and pressures of fame. It’s a terrifying narrative, and captures a fresh angle on psychological terror. 

    Continuing from the last movie, Smile 2 starts with a familiar face and sets off a chain of witnesses that leads to our new protagonist. The director embraces a new upside down theme, with transitions between scenes encompassing flipped city landscapes. The movie showcases exceptional and unique cinematography that enhance the horror elements of the plot. The effective lighting and clever set up add to the film’s theme of psychological warfare, making it a very immersive and visually striking experience. Jumpscares were strategically placed in hallucinations and moments of darkness, causing viewers to be unable to find reality. All of these elements deepens the complexity of the narrative, with plot twists at every turn, keeping the audience on edge. 

    These kinds of scenes aren’t meant for all ages, recognizing that this movie is R rated, and, let me tell you, it’s for good reason. This film was incredibly graphic, bloody, and even worse, realistic. With the budget being almost 10 million dollars higher from Smile 1, beginning to end, there was no shortage of bloodstains or limbs across the screen. It was extremely gory, chaotic, and just an unsettling experience, especially, towards the end.

     Unlike the first movie, Smile 2 grapples with the reality of fame and drug issues, showing an in-depth perspective of people who struggle with them. Skye deals with pressure from her managers and from society since her personal life is put on full blast by the media. The cast’s acting was phenomenal, especially Naomi Scott, whose performance was captivating till the very end. 

   However, reviews speculated that Smile 2 might not just be a horror movie, but a huge advertisement for VOSS Water. I have to say, I often found myself wondering why Skye was drinking a full bottle of water every 10 minutes, and why VOSS was literally the only brand. She plays it off as a tactic employed by her therapist to deal with her substance abuse, but it wasn’t very subtle how the label was clearly in focus-every time. Nevertheless, it didn’t take away from the movie much, and it was honestly funny, to the point where VOSS even created a game at the movie premiere called #SpotTheVOSS. 

     While some elements may feel predictable, this film excels in creating a genuinely disturbing atmosphere that lingers long after the credits roll. With its impressive  85% on Rotten Tomatoes, this movie is definitely not for the faint of heart. “It was so scary, I actually couldn’t watch,” said Olivia Canova, senior at MV. “I only saw about half of it or less, [and] I had to close my eyes…”. When asked how scary it was, Canova said, “Literally a 10.”