An unsettling pressure cooker of dread and paranoia, Parker Finn’s Smile 2 will once more make horror fans grin from ear to ear. That’s because, like the first instalment, this outing has more going for it than you might think. It’s not some gimmicked-up hokey slasher. Nope. It’s a terrifying exploration of trauma and the cycle it creates. For those uninitiated, the premise, while straightforward, is a complete nightmare: an entity feeds off its victim’s trauma, overwhelms them with fear, drives them mad, and ultimately pushes them to a gruesome demise – by their own hands. Oh, and the curse passes on when the victim dies in front of a witness - creating a terrifying chain reaction. And while Smile 2 doesn’t deviate from or add anything new to that premise, it does add a completely different victim to follow into complete despair – a fictional pop star. Yep, Naomi Scott plays Skye Riley, a young pop star with (you guessed it) plenty of trauma haunting her. The pop star element is played really well however, as the music and behind-the-scenes business elements all ring true with authenticity. In short, it’s believable. And frankly, Scott deserves plenty of credit for a tour-de-force performance reminiscent of Sosie Bacon’s impressive turn in the first film. For those looking for frights, don’t worry, you’ll get ‘em in spades. There’s certainly no lack of unnerving visuals or “holy crap” jump scares. And with another stellar opening sequence kicking things off, Smile 2 shows that this original horror concept is definitely franchise worthy. Now that’s something to smile over.