Spoiler alert!

Released on September 30, 2022, the latest horror movie, Smile, has many people sharing mixed reviews. Horror fans alike can agree that although the movie had some pros, there were also many cons. Starring Sosie Bacon, the movie is a mix of thrill and horror, with more than enough jumpscares. Although I think the movie contains a unique plot, I would not spend money to watch it again in a cinema.

The scares are minuscule and are some of the oldest tricks in the book for the film industry. It’s almost like the creators knew the audience wouldn’t be scared without these few additives. Although there are some genuine scares, oftentimes the movie relies on fake jump scares, such as a burglar alarm, even used in a scene when Rose opened a can of cat food. Time after time, the film fails to truly show its horror element.

The movie’s ideas in itself can be referenced from several horror movies in the past, and it can easily be argued that the movie lacks many original ideas. The “chain of victims” the movie included, although the deaths were all different and linked to suicide, follows the same plot as “The Ring” and “It Follows,”  and when you bring in the trauma that Rose experienced in her childhood, you could even argue that it follows “Hereditary” and “The Nighthouse”.

The trailers for this movie were made amazingly, and attracted a large audience to see the film, but many were left disappointed. With the budget spent to make this movie, a better script could have been written.