Spoiler Alert: This article contains spoilers for the horror movie SmileAfter Parker Finn’s 2020 short filmLaura Hasn’t Slept, it was clear that he had a powerful and scary story on his hands. The writer/director released his horror debutSmilein September 2022 to rave reviews and lots of praise. Horror fans couldn’t get enough of the original movie that features a particularly strong performance from Sosie Bacon as main character Rose Cotter, a woman dealing with a terrible curse and family trauma.
With the great news that there will be aSmile 2, horror audiences are curious about what the sequel will be like. While no story details have been released, there a few things thatSmile 2can do to be as successful and effective as Finn’s debut movie.
How Did Smile End?
Of themany scary smiles in the horror genre, the eerie grins inSmileare particularly memorable. The demon that shows itself at the end ofSmilehas one of the creepiest expressions in the entire film. When Rose is at her family home, Joel (Kyle Gallner) arrives to try to save her. Unfortunately, the damage has been done, and the curse is in full force. It’s clear that Joel feels terrible about what Rose has gone through and continues to experience, and his regret and pain is written all over his face.
Rose sees theSmiledemon: a semi-humanoid that has a huge mouth with different jaws inside of it. Of all theterrifying horror movie demons, theSmileentity is definitely up there. It’s almost painful to look at them because they are so gruesome and gross. After the demon takes over Rose’s body and mind, Joel sees Rose lighting her body on fire. Now Joel is cursed. It’s a wise ending that packs a real punch. Joel realizes that he couldn’t escape this curse, no matter what he said or did.
As Rose and Joel have gotten to know each other throughoutSmile, Joel realizes that Rose has had trouble dealing with losing her mother. Now that Joel will see creepy grins everywhere he goes and he will experience what Rose has, he will understand her even more. While endings of other horror movies are often filled with shocking plot twists, like theconclusion ofDead Ringers,Smilekeeps the focus on the emotional state of the main characters. Like many who have experienced something painful and disturbing, Rose and Joel both know that it can be tough to truly move on or stop thinking about it.
What Can Smile 2 Do To Top The Original?
Smile 2will definitely be a solid and effective horror movie considering how well-crafted the first movie is. Parker Finn is also atalented and popular horror filmmakerwho had a clear point of view and a smart story to tell. After his short filmLaura Hasn’t Slept, horror fans were excited to see his debut horror movie. SinceSmileis a2022 horror movie that lived up to the hype, there is a lot of anticipation forSmile 2.
to be even better than the original,Smile 2needs to build on the effective elements of the first movie. For one thing,Smile 2should explain more about the curse’s history. Since audiences are so curious about the origins of the curse and the people who have suffered in the past, this would help the sequel stand out and also make it more interesting.
Smile 2also needs to pick a compelling main character and flesh them out, just likeSmiledid with Rose Cotter. SinceSmileis all about trauma, Rose’s unresolved feelings about her mother’s death and her tough, tricky relationship with her sister Holly (Gillian Zinser) are at the forefront of the story. Sincethe end ofSmilefocuses on Rose giving the curse to Kyle, it’s possible that he will be the main character in the sequel.Smile 2would need to delve into the pain that he has experienced in the past and what he has been dealing with. It’s also possible thatSmile 2will take place several years or even a decade in the future and will introduce a completely new character. As long as they are amemorable horror movie main character, that would still be effective and powerful.
Finally, in order forSmile 2to be as successful as the first movie, the horror sequel should make theSmileentity even more terrifying. While the sequel will lose the element of surprise that made theSmileending work so well, there are still ways to build upon the thought, effort, and creativity behind the demon.
NEXT:10 Horror Movies To Watch If You Love Smile
