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Smile 2 Review: Naomi Scott Shines in a Pop Star’s Horror Nightmare

Naomi Scott anchors Smile 2’s shift into pop-stardom horror, though the Associated Press found its winding route to an ending too long.
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Smile 2 turns its supernatural curse toward pop stardom, following Skye Riley as fame, a looming world tour and increasingly terrifying events collide. The sequel’s strongest asset is Naomi Scott’s lead performance; its main drawback, in Associated Press reviewer Mark Kennedy’s view, is that it takes too long to reach an ending.

What is Smile 2 about?

Written and directed by Parker Finn, Smile 2 is the 2024 follow-up to his 2022 film Smile. Naomi Scott plays Skye Riley, a global pop sensation preparing for a new world tour when inexplicable, frightening events begin to disrupt her life. Paramount’s synopsis describes reality and nightmare blurring as Skye is forced to confront her past.

The sequel shifts the franchise’s focus toward celebrity and the pressure surrounding a public-facing life. TIME reads Skye’s fame as a way to explore the particular pressures placed on young female stars. That theme gives the horror a new setting: performance and public image are part of the story’s world, not just a backdrop for its scares.

How does the sequel compare with the first film?

The change is less a departure from the supernatural premise than a new lens on it. Where the original’s story is centered on trauma, Smile 2 puts pop celebrity, scrutiny and the demands of a career in the foreground. The larger spectacle suits that setting, while Scott anchors the film in Skye’s experience.

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#1 Best Overall

TIME reported that the first Smile earned over $217 million worldwide, a figure for the 2022 film—not this sequel. The scale of the follow-up’s celebrity setting broadens the franchise’s canvas, though whether its ending fully resolves that expanded premise is a point of disagreement in the critical response.

Naomi Scott leads the cast

Scott plays Skye Riley, and Kennedy’s Associated Press review identifies her performance as the film’s standout. He also notes that she sings on the soundtrack, describing the songs as credible hits—a critical impression, not a chart-performance claim.

Rank #2
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Smile 2 [Blu-ray] [Region A & B & C]
  • horror, mystery, thriller

The supporting cast includes Rosemarie DeWitt as Elizabeth Riley, Lukas Gage as Lewis, Miles Gutierrez-Riley as Joshua, Peter Jacobson as Morris, Ray Nicholson as Paul Hudson, Dylan Gelula as Gemma and Raúl Castillo as Darius.

Is Smile 2 scary?

It is a horror film with bloody violence, grisly images, language throughout and drug use, according to the Associated Press. Paramount+ classifies it as R-rated. Kennedy describes a mix of jump scares, gross-out body horror and humor. That combination makes the film’s scares as much about jarring bodily imagery and sudden shocks as about its supernatural threat; how intense that feels will depend on your tolerance for those elements.

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What works—and what doesn’t?

Scott’s performance and the celebrity premise

Kennedy praises Scott’s central performance and considers fame an apt satirical target. Rotten Tomatoes’ critics consensus likewise highlights Scott and the pop-stardom nightmare premise, though an aggregator’s consensus is not a substitute for every critic’s view. The setting gives Finn room to connect horror with the demands of being watched and expected to perform.

The long route to the ending

Kennedy’s reservation is that the script seems to lag while searching for an ending, making the film feel too long. His verdict was three out of four stars. That is one reviewer’s assessment, not a universal measure of how the conclusion will land; viewers drawn in by the premise and Scott’s performance may weigh the winding finish differently.

Rank #4
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Runtime, rating and release details

Published runtime listings do not agree. Paramount Global Content lists 120 minutes, while Paramount+ and the AP give 2 hours 7 minutes (127 minutes). The film premiered on October 18, 2024, according to Paramount Global Content.

Detail Listing
Year and genre 2024; horror (Paramount+)
Rating R (Paramount+). AP specifies strong bloody violent content, grisly images, language throughout and drug use.
Runtime 120 minutes (Paramount Global Content); 2 hours 7 minutes / 127 minutes (Paramount+ and AP).
Premiere October 18, 2024 (Paramount Global Content).

Where can you watch Smile 2?

Paramount+ lists the film on its movie page. Rotten Tomatoes lists Netflix and Paramount+ for streaming, as well as Fandango rental and purchase options. Those listings can vary by region and date, so check the services available where you live.

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A physical 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release is also documented. Blu-ray.com reported the release announcement and listed Dolby Vision/HDR, Dolby Atmos and bonus features including Parker Finn commentary, cast and filmmaker discussion, featurettes on Skye Riley, music and choreography, monsters and makeup, plus deleted or extended scenes. These are release features, not a claim that disc playback is technically superior to any particular stream.

Quick Recap

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