DVD Corner

Smile 2 4K UHD Review

“Smile 2” is a disappointing sequel.

Continuing where the first film left off, we see the fate of Joel and discover that a new person (a drug dealer named Lewis) has inherited the curse. The story then switches focus to the main character of this sequel- pop star Skye Riley. Skye is struggling to balance her career, celebrity life, personal life, family life, and from her tragic past involving drugs and the death of her boyfriend. She’s trying to make a comeback, but she is struggling mentally. Skye goes out to buy drugs from Lewis, but witnesses his horrific death from the curse and thereby inherits it herself. From here on out, Skye loses grip on reality and has trouble distinguishing what is real and what isn’t. 

Bigger is not always better and “Smile 2” is a prime example of that. Writer/director Parker Finn is working with a bigger budget this time around, but goes rather overboard with more resources. What worked about “Smile” is that it was a smaller scale character piece that explored mental health, anxiety, and trauma in a deeply chilling way. The sequel explores these heavy subjects as well, but Finn’s 127 minute story is weird (see the monster at the end), chaotic, and downright exhausting. After a certain point, trying to decipher what was real and what was not started to feel like a chore. Finn really seemed to get lost in creating more elaborate scenes and fake-outs rather than exploring the mythology further. The sequel does conclude on an intriguing note that sets up a realm of possibilities for a third installment of this horror franchise though.

The saving grace of “Smile 2” is Naomi Scott who plays Skye. The actress/singer (best known for the live-action “Aladdin” and “Power Rangers”) goes all in on this part. Skye really gets put through the ringer in this story and Scott handles the physically and mentally challenging role like a champ. Really, it’s an extraordinary performance that deserves more praise. 

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 2.00:1 2160p. How does it look? Viewers can expect a crisp and colorful 4K transfer.

Audio Track: Dolby Atmos. How does it sound? This Atmos track is highly effective (especially during the concert scenes). Note: This release also includes numerous language options such as Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, and Deutsch.

Extras:
* Digital copy
* Commentary by Parker Finn.
* 2 extended scenes and 1 deleted scene
* “Ear To Ear” covers Parker Finn’s short film, the first film and this sequel.
* “The Rise And Fall Of Skye Riley” revolves around the central character.
* “Behind The Music”- A featurette on Skye’s music.
* “A New Smile” is all about the opening sequence.
* “Smiler: A New Monster”- A spoiler heavy extra about the ending monster.
* “Turn That Frown Upside Down” covers a character’s death.
* “Show Me Your Teeth” focuses on the character of Paul.
* Blu-ray copy

January 29, 2025 - Posted by nicklyons1 | 4K UHD Review | horror, Naomi Scott, Smile, Smile 2 4K UHD Review