Let’s Talk About ‘Smile’

credit@Nerdist

An initial look at this trailer immediately makes one think of Truth or Dare, especially when the wide, maniacal smile comes out for the first time. But there does appear to be something else going on with this movie, and it might involve something similar to the evil spirit in Truth or Dare, but different enough that it doesn’t require a game to play. Instead, this entity appears to pass itself along from person to person for some unknown reason, and the moment the smile appears, it sounds like the individual has a week before they end up dead in some strange, gruesome manner. This kind of horror movie has been seen before, but trying to figure out how this is going to be different is going to be interesting. Getting to the bottom of this movie shouldn’t be too hard, but appearances can be deceiving. It does sound as though the main character is going to have a troubled past, which would be another trope that will be extremely familiar. But maybe, just maybe, this movie will find a way to be different. 

credit@Syfy

So far, it doesn’t look that original. 

It’s a little too easy to bash horror movies since many of them look like they’ve just been run off the assembly line. The unfortunate part about this movie, at least from its first appearance, is that it might as well be a sequel to Truth or Dare, even if that doesn’t appear to be the case. Following the same kind of idea, an unseen threat, to put it simply, appears to be one of the main ideas that will drive this story, but where it goes from there is anyone’s guess. How the story is told and how the scares are distributed throughout the movie will make or break it. From the trailer, it already appears that things will pop off in a way that many horror fans will appreciate since it’s predictable and comfortable. But others might be a little less receptive if only because they want to see something new or something that they’re not expecting. 

It’s interesting to think of how children will factor into this. 

The fact that there are children seen in the trailer might not mean anything, but in a lot of horror movies, it’s not wise to discount anything. It’s already been proven long ago that children are not off limits when it comes to horror movies, as they lend a seriously creepy element to many horror movies, along with a hint of innocence that can add to the horror or be consumed by it. How much will be added by the children in this movie is yet to be seen, but it does feel as though their presence will not be as beneficial to the good or evil characters that are going to be set against one another. If I’m wrong, though, things will become insanely terrifying since watching a kid smile in a creepy fashion usually means that a great deal of trouble is coming. 

credit@PasteMagazine

The trailer could be misleading, but it might be the tip of the iceberg. 

The title alone is kind of up for interpretation, as without watching the trailer, it could mean anything. But after watching the trailer, the hope is that things are going to get deeper, and more will be revealed as the story progresses. That’s just a little depressing is the thought that the movie might have just shown the best parts within the trailer, but it doesn’t feel that way since it could happen that the story will go even deeper and the effects will become even crazier. If that happens, it’s very likely, at least hopefully, that the effects will remain as practical as possible and that the terror won’t be that limited. A great deal can be done with a mid to low budget, as it’s been proven many times in cinematic history. What this movie will roll out for the fans is anyone’s guess, but looking at what is already there it does appear that a lean toward practical effects and a story that’s bound to be easy to follow will be the order of the day. At least, it feels that way. 

Horror movies are hard to gauge sometimes. 

It’s a good thing that the trailer doesn’t give everything away, but it also makes this movie hard to gauge since trying to figure out what’s really going on before watching it becomes even more difficult. But the title, the subject matter, and the fact that there isn’t a lot to go on without doing some serious digging could be the most beneficial element this movie has going for at the moment. After all, a smile isn’t always a positive thing.