As a cinephile with over two decades of movie-watching under my belt, I must say that the ending of Smile 2 left me utterly spellbound. It’s not every day that a horror sequel manages to surpass its predecessor in terms of sheer audacity and thematic depth. Parker Finn has truly outdone himself with this one!
BEWARE OF SPOILERS: This article includes significant revelations from the movie “Smile 2”. Proceed with caution if you haven’t watched it yet!
In contrast to numerous horror movies featuring monsters where the protagonist wins against evil, Parker Finn’s ‘Smile’ takes a different turn. Instead of triumphing over the grinning entity, Sosie Bacon’s character Rose becomes emotionally unhinged in her struggle, ultimately passing on the curse by setting herself ablaze in front of Kyle Gallner’s Joel. The ending of ‘Smile’ is startlingly impactful, and remarkably, it’s surpassed in its audacity in the sequel, as the conclusion of ‘Smile 2’ is even more outlandish and off-the-wall.
In the chilling horror film “Smile 2,” Parker Finn masterfully employs elements of deception and perception, leaving viewers intrigued with many questions. To help clarify some of these queries, we’ve got insights for you, including perspectives from the director on his creative decisions regarding the movie’s climax. Before we delve into the aftermath of events, let us first provide a brief summary of what unfolds in “Smile 2,” now playing in cinemas.
What Happens At The End Of Smile 2
In a desperate attempt to free herself from the grinning spirit, Skye Riley (Naomi Scott), accompanied by Gemma (Dylan Gelula), journeys to Staten Island in search of Morris (Peter Jacobson) and his proposed remedy. Their trip isn’t without its share of fear as Skye receives a call from the genuine Gemma, who claims she hasn’t spoken since Skye’s initial message. However, it appears that Skye manages to momentarily suppress the demon by asserting her authority over the situation.
In a reclaimed Pizza Hut freezer, the ER nurse encounters Morris. Their intention is for the nurse to give Skye a drug, causing temporary death. After giving an injection, Morris suddenly departs and never returns. This leaves Skye shocked upon finding her post-accident self suspended from the ceiling, gazing at herself below. A struggle ensues, and for a fleeting instant, it appears that the pop star has triumphed. However, she hasn’t. The unseen force makes it clear that Skye is not in charge.
In a surprising turn of events, Skye steps onto the stage, dressed for a concert, surrounded by thousands of enthusiastic spectators. Among them are her mother (Rosemarie DeWitt), Darius (Raúl Castillo) and Joshua (Miles Gutierrez-Riley). However, only Skye can perceive a duplicate of herself, grinning on stage with her. The actual form of the demon manifested from within the twin, causing Skye to fall to her knees. As the demon extended its mouth, it invaded her.
From another angle, the audience stands speechless and apprehensive as Skye collapses on the stage. Upon regaining consciousness, she lifts her microphone and, to the astonishment of the spectators, plunges it into her own eye socket.
What Is Real In Smile 2 And What Isn’t?
As a devoted admirer, I can’t help but shudder at the chilling manifestation of the entity in the “Smile” films. The mere physical presence of this creature, capable of transforming innocent smiles into haunting nightmares, is enough to send shivers down my spine. But it’s not just its terrifying presence that makes this demon so menacing; it’s its uncanny ability to manipulate the perceived reality of those it torments.
In the third act of “Smile 2“, Skye Riley experiences a situation where it seems plausible that everything happening after she regains consciousness at the private wellness clinic is a manipulation by some entity. The twist comes when her mother, who was believed to be deceased, appears alive at the final concert. This leads one to ponder whether Skye’s subsequent actions, such as believing her mom had been killed and threatening people with a gun before driving to Staten Island, were merely figments of her imagination. However, despite these hallucinations, it appears that Skye’s physical body followed its normal routine and prepared for the concert, unbeknownst to those close to her that anything was amiss.
However, if everything in Smile 2 turned out to be false, one might wonder what else could be untrue. Even the authenticity of Morris as a character remains uncertain following the first viewing. Yet, these questions may find no definitive answers initially, but dedicated fans will surely develop theories and scrutinize every detail for hints after multiple watches.
Smile 2’s Director Explains How The Ending Of The First Movie Had A Direct Impact On The Horror Sequel’s Shocking Conclusion
Viewed from afar, one captivating aspect of the ending of “Smile 2” lies in its vastness compared to the conclusion of “Smile”. While the chain of trauma in the first film merely escalates as Rose transfers the curse to Joel, Skye’s situation is unique because she unintentionally curses an entire crowd in the arena.
During a recent pre-release event in Los Angeles for Smile 2 (as shown in the video above), I posed a question directly to Parker Finn about the two contrasting endings. In response, he shared that one outcome was linked to the other as the story unfolded. To quote the director himself,
I desired a challenge to create something that resonated with the original film, but also offered a stark contrast. I wanted it to be the main event, and the content seemed perfectly aligned thematically with the concept of celebrity, their stages, and the impact they wield over their audience.
Moving forward, Finn explained that not only does the conclusion of “Smile 2” mirror the ending of “Smile,” but also the manner in which the final scene is filmed aims to evoke a reflection-like sensation. The movie doesn’t depict Skye shoving the microphone into her own head, instead opting to create impact through showing the shocked expressions of the audience as the event transpires. Speaking about this visual, Finn noted…
Additionally, there’s an undeniable feeling that the spectators at the film’s conclusion seem to be gazing back at the theater audience through the screen. I aimed to introduce a somewhat self-referential aspect, making the viewers ponder, ‘Hold on, have we played a part in this? By returning for a sequel, am I unwittingly involved in this entire scenario?’ This idea sparked an intriguing creative dilemma for me, and I’m genuinely satisfied with the final outcome.
As I scan the fearful faces in the climax of “Smile 2”, my mind ignites with curiosity, pondering over the actions Skye is taking upon herself… And this intrigue persists even as I reflect on how this ending could shape the course of the franchise in the future.
What Smile 2’s Ending Means For The Potential Future Of The Horror Franchise
The character in the “Smile” films generally follows a straightforward sequence. It torments an individual for roughly a week until they’re on the brink of insanity, at which point it takes possession of them. In front of an audience, this new host subsequently carries out a grisly suicide. The shock experienced by the bystander is similar to being contaminated. And then the same events repeat.
But what if there isn’t just one observer, but instead thousands?
That’s a question without an answer right now, but it would presumably be the starting place for a Smile 3 (which, it should be noted, hasn’t been announced or said to be in development yet). The rules of the entity dictate that everyone in the arena who sees Skye commit suicide is going to experience the same kind of torment that she did, but can it actually do that? Is it now going to multiply? Or will it feed on all of the people at the concert one-by-one? With all the chains that this theoretically begins, is it the start of a world-ending event? There’s a lot that can be explored with a third movie, and we can keep fingers crossed that Parker Finn is cooking something up something that is just as special as his second film.
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-10-19 01:07