‘Vicious’ horror sequel boasts higher Rotten Tomatoes rating than the terrifying original

‘Vicious and scary’ sequel Smile 2 now boasts a higher rating than Parker Finn’s original film following its opening weekend.

Aladdin’s Naomi Scott stars as global pop sensation Skye Riley, who contracts the curse from the original film after a run-in with her drug dealer takes a strange turn.

Tormented by visions of smiling entities following her wherever she goes – even appearing through her loved ones – Skye is running out of time to discover how to break the curse before it claims her life. Naomi stars opposite screen icon Jack Nicholson’s son Ray Nicholson, who pays homage to his famous dad’s legendary role in The Shining.

It is a sequel to the smash hit 2022 supernatural thriller which gripped film fans thanks to its viral marketing campaign – not to mention its wild narrative and spine-tingling scares.

Following its cinema release on October 18, Smile 2 currently holds an 83% rating from both critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, certifying it fresh.

Smile, on the other hand, still holds a respectably high 80% rating from critics, and a slightly lower 77% from fans.

Naomi Scott appears as cursed pop star Skye Riley in Smile 2 (Picture: Paramount Pictures)

The supernatural thriller currently holds a higher Rotten Tomatoes rating than the first film (Picture: AP)

It’s a rarity in the world of horror where viewers hold the sequel to an iconic film in higher regard when so often we find ourselves let down by the follow-up.

But that hasn’t been the case with Smile 2, with critics lauding Scott’s performance and the ‘creepy and clever’ plot.

A critic at The Sun wrote: ‘Director Parker Finn pulls no punches in this nightmare-fuelled sequel, taking us on a ride that’s even more intense and disturbing.’

AV Club said: ‘The film finds dark humour in taking these desperate feelings of unease and feeding them to a kaleidoscopic creature of pain and viscera.’

Bloody Disgusting added: ‘It’s not just the sequel’s razor-sharp and inventive, gory scares that surpass its predecessor, but a profoundly complicated heroine shaping the edgier style of horror.’

Smile, released in 2022, was already terrifying enough (Picture: Paramount/Everett/REX/Shutterstock)

Meanwhile, on X, Alex Wayne wrote: ‘Smile 2 is a vicious and scary sequel that doesn’t necessarily expand on anything from the first movie so much as dial it up to 11. It’s all very effective. Parker Finn confirms he’s the real deal and Naomi Scott is terrifically unhinged. Enjoyed the hell out of this.’

Hugeasmammoth_ thought: ‘Naomi Scott’s performance in SMILE 2 is definitely one of my favourite performances of the year. She’s fantastic.’

Others agreed that Scott gave ‘the performance of her life’, with BriAnimator_ writing: ‘If you love original horror stories with high stakes and disturbing visuals like I do, you have to see SMILE 2. Naomi Scott’s descent into madness was amazing, she was so good at being terrified. Loved how creative they were with the story and scares.’

The cast of the latest film is rounded out by returning star Kyle Gallner, Lukas Gage, Dylan Gelula, Rosemarie DeWitt, and Jack Nicholson’s son Ray Nicholson who has been praised for his ‘creepy’ performance.

If you want to catch up on Smile before seeing the sequel in cinemas, it is available to stream now on Channel 4 and Netflix, and it can also be rented via Prime Video, Apple TV, and the Sky Store.

Smile 2 is in cinemas now.

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