Pop stars sure know how to attract demons. In “Trap,” the Taylor-esque diva had a killer dad on her trail. Now, in “Smile 2,” Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) has an odd spirit that wants to derail her first concerts following a car accident and a meltdown that made fans eager for more – anything more – about her questionable personal life.
To get back on track, Skye visits an old classmate (Lukas Gage) who looks like he has dipped into the drugs he’s selling. In truth, he’s under the spell of some evil force. Rather than tell folks (like her mom-ager or best friend), Skye keeps it to herself and begins freaking out, particularly when fans turn up with that same demented smile.
Naomi Scott stars as haunted pop-music icon Skye Riley in “Smile 2.” Paramount Pictures Director Parker Finn keeps the audience guessing about a connection but isn’t afraid to show violence in all its bloody glory. Faces deteriorate, bones stick out, folks die.
From a gore standpoint, it’s brutal. But Skye’s demons aren’t necessarily obvious. Nor is she able to understand what might be causing them.
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Finn succeeds with sound effects, dropping them in here and there just enough to make you think you’re a closed door away from a creepy smile. Scott handles the paranoia well. A better film could have been made from this situation, had it not been part of the “Smile” franchise.
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