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.

"Smile 2" is a flash-cut horror parable, but the story it's telling is that pop fame makes you crazy. Though the movie is hardly subtle, Parker Finn has become a clever enough filmmaker to make reality feel like a hallucination and hallucinations feel like reality.

Smile 2 is entertaining. Certainly, dont expect the best commentary on mental health issues, but be ready for some jump-scare fun.

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,