Why Smile 2 has the scariest ending of any horror movie this year

If you’ve seen cinemagoers grinning from ear to ear, it can only mean one thing: Smile 2 is finally here.

A sequel to the frankly harrowing 2019 horror movie, this twisted tale sees Skye Riley, a famous pop star, become the latest victim of the sinister Smile Curse. This new chapter in the series has been warmly received by critics, including our own Daisy Phillipson, who wrote in her Smile 2 review that it improves on its predecessor and elegantly toes the line between chilling and silly.

Indeed, the film is much bigger and bolder than its predecessor, but this has opened it up to criticism. Some have claimed the sequel doesn’t have the same sharp edge as the first film, that it’s basically a retread of Smile, and that it’s too daft for its own good.

Yet, honestly, I’m not sure these people were paying attention because Smile 2 has one of the most upsetting and scary endings of any horror film this year. Warning: spoilers ahead!

What happens to Skye?

Paramount Pictures

Sadly, despite her best efforts, Skye’s story ends in tragedy. While trying to escape the monstrous Smile Entity, she runs on stage and is possessed by the grinning ghoul.

After it’s literally climbed inside her, the creature proceeds to pick up the microphone and use it in such a way that it’ll void the warranty and end Skye’s life. As upsetting and violent as Skye’s death is (you don’t see what she does, just the aftermath), what makes this moment genuinely terrifying is who’s watching.

After all, the Smile Curse always passes to the next poor soul who has the misfortune to see the current infectee take their own life. In the first film, we see our heroine, Rose, pass the curse on to Joel, and then Joel accidentally passes it to Lewis, who passes it to Skye. So, which unfortunate person does she pass it on to?

Smile 2’s ending is more horrifying than you realize

Well, it’s not really a person. It’s more people. Syke killed herself on stage at a concert, meaning all of her fans got a front-row seat to her dying on stage (pun not intended). That means there are potentially thousands, if not tens of thousands of people, all of whom are about to learn the hard way that Skye didn’t kill herself; she was murdered by an invisible beaming beast. 

Of course, this presumes that the monster can somehow be split among multiple people. It’s possible the Smile Creature is like the number zero, and it can’t be divided. But, as it’s a magical monster, we’ll give it the benefit of the doubt and say as long as you meet the criteria (witness a death it causes), you’re deader than a dodo who just met a hungry explorer. 

That means it’s very possible there are more infectees than ever before, all of whom are going to go out and spread the curse far and wide. It’s an epidemic of sorts, with the potential to spread across the globe like some terrible cold that doesn’t so much give you a runny nose but instead gives you a reason to run for your life.

It’s a terrifying thought, and it’s even potentially apocalyptic. So while Longlegs might be more atmospheric, A Quiet Place Day One might be sadder, and Strange Darlings might be cleverer, Smile 2 is easily the scariest film I’ve seen this year because it hides its chills behind an appropriately goofy grin.

If you want to learn more about the spooky sequel, check out our story breaking down the secret link between Smile 2 and Shining, and we’ve also got the latest on where it’ll be streaming. If you need a break from the scares, though, why not check out our list of the best action movies of all time.