Expanding lore is a key element in horror sequels, and it’s something that I pondered heavily going into my screening of writer/director Parker Finn’s Smile 2. Revisiting the original in the days before,

The sophomore filmmaker still loves his jump scares, but "Smile 2" suggests that his horror series could have real legs as an ongoing anthology of character studies.

Parker Finn follows his surprise 2022 hit about a malevolent spirit that jumps hosts via a diabolical grin, this time infecting a troubled pop star with a ton of trauma to feed on.