Any movie that cuts out its jump scares is a lesser movie. Smile is much more intense and unsafe and atmospheric because the jump scares could come at any time. Each time there is a jumpscare, the atmosphere redoubles in terror and gives me physical fright and a yell. It becomes a more sophisticated psychological horror, and removing the jump scares is what would cheapen it, and make it shit.

Tired of them too, in all movies—cheap gag

Hmm not sure I agree that it becomes more sophisticated, but I do see and respect your opinion. This sounds more like a difference in preferences as I generally prefer more atmospheric and internal fear and you prefer more external physical frights. I'm usually a big chicken when it comes to jump scares, but I usually prefer less mainly because they make the story feel like it's on the back burner (and I'm a big horror story fan).

I thought that the Smile jump scares were kind of predictable though, no? >!I can only remember the unpredictable ones being the demon at the bday party or the patient through the car window. Although they all still got me lol even though I saw them coming.!<

Even my dog hates jumpscares.

I could not disagree with this more.

Jump scares take what could be actually compelling scenes/movies and turn them into haunted house rides: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=p0Vc9_f4ByA&t=2s

Saying "I like jump scares" is like saying "why would I pay for an expensive steak when a McDonalds burger will fill me up?"

Steak fucking sucks. It has no flavor, it’s just the flavor of meat. McDonald’s hamburgers are legitimately better, as are all hamburgers, as are all dishes with more ingredients.

I want to feel the maximum at every second. Horror movies should have loads of atmosphere, and jump scares, and everything good in the world that’s imaginable. None of it is mutually exclusive.

>Steak fucking sucks. McDonald’s hamburgers are legitimately better, I want to feel the maximum at every second. Horror movies should have loads of atmosphere, and jump scares, and everything good in the world that’s imaginable.

I'm not sure how Reddits feeling about Rick and Morty quotes at the moment, but

"feels like that guy had other stuff going on"

There was only a few jump scares....

The movie was all tension, those very few jump scares were necessary as a tension release valve.

Jump scares are meant to be used sporadically. Overloading a movie with them is lazy and thoughtless. And you’re right, the story isn’t really original. But using a smile to mask pain is far from a unique or new concept. It’s been used in entertainment since before anyone can remember. You’ve heard of the “Sad Clown” I assume”. That’s been used in some of the oldest movies produced, and on stage before that. If you want a modern day “sad clown”, check out Puddles Pity Party. His live shows are fantastic and fun if you ever get a chance.

I liked the jumpscares on Smile but those were not few.

Why do we keep talking about this movie. It was not good I did not like jt

even without the jumpcares that film is terrible. i

It also confuses me how people would even have any expectation of Smile not having that. I didn’t even watch a trailer and it’s such a transparently by-the-numbers jump scare filled horror movie.

For me, all the jump scares made Smile so scary that I couldn't even finish it. I got about 40 minutes in and then decided the movie was too scary to continue watching. I still haven't finished watching it but I will eventually.

Smile is the first horror movie I couldn't finish because it was too scary; and all of the jump scares are the reason why.

I was scared of the movie as well, but I felt like it was moreso because of the exhaustion from the physical reaction, rather than being scared. But then again, I'm also the type who enjoys a slower, deeper internal fear and growing paranoia than in-your-face screams.

I mean, you just like overstimulation. That's okay. We like different things is all.

A few...?

We can still talk about it even if you didn't like it. Conversely, if you see it then you don't have to click on it either

No I expected Smile to be FILLED with jump scares and it was. I just wish it didn't have them or at least as many as it did.

It was a solid idea with a trauma demon messing with your senses and making you hallucinate until you're driven to madness. I enjoyed the premise. It's okay if you didn't though.

I liked the premise of them weaponizing that smile though. It's not just her smiling to mask her pain, it's formed into a "physical" being that warps her perceptions and affects her entire life, as well as the people around her. Her smile only brings forth her buried guilt/trauma and it affects her mental health, which in turn affects her relationships.

I think buried deep down it has a solid premise (albeit not fully unique), but it gets way overshadowed by the amount of jump scares. There's the people who are too scared to finish, the ones who brace for scares more than paying attention to the story, or those who are unaffected and think the scares make the movie more cheap. Without so many, I think they could've made a solid psychological horror.

Yeah I agree,yes the jump scares were terrifying but it gets to a point where I can't focus on the plot or the story because all I'm doing is mentally bracing myself for jump scares that could occur at any moment constantly. It's mentally exhausting and takes away from the movie.

I simply don't like the way I feel when there's a jump-scare. The Armenian term for it (that my grandmother would use) translates as "my heart shattered" and that's the way I feel. In all honesty, the older I get I have anxiety thinking I'm going to have a heart attack because of a stupid movie.

Yeah it sucked. Worst movie I saw in 2022. It's crammed so full of 2000s horror tropes it's unwatchable. Anything good in this movie is ripped out of better ones, like the general premise being It Follows but worse, and the visual style heavily "borrowing" from genuinely good directors like Ari Aster. The rest is so "generic homogenized jumpscare flick" it's painful. Trope after trope after trope. Plus even though I loathe jumpscares it'd be nice if they didn't fucking spoil the only one worth being startled by right in the fucking trailer.

A few weeks after I watched it I popped over at a gathering at a friends house and they'd started watching it like 20 minutes before I arrived. Initially I was like "oh man not this shit again" but after a while it was very affirming watching 4 different people getting more and more angry, disappointed and bored with the movie after each scene.

Sp are you saying the movie should have been the same just without the jump scares? Or are you saying they should have made a different movie? If the former, the movie would have been very thin without the jump scares. This wasn't a Hereditary level script that could carry without any jump scares. Thenjump scares were part pf the sauce. But if you mean the latter, well I don't know what to tell you. 'They should have made a different movie' isn't really criticism. But I can see why you would want another Hereditary style horror movie.

Honestly, I don't get the hype for this film. It is a typical jump scare movie that had a good idea. But the execution is horrible. I mean, there is a jump scare in almost every single scene!

It is a shame because I thought the film started off really well. But in the end it turned into something that would only impress most 16 year olds. A bit like M3gan.

So, yeah, I am a bit lost about what people like about it so much.

I was more annoyed at the multiple fake outs used in the movie, got pretty tiresome.

He’s right, there’s not that many. They showed basically all of them in the trailer.

Movies like Barbarian and A Quiet Place do such a great job building tension without relying on jump scares

That was my thought too. I wish it had a more seeping dreadful helpless fear than just scream here, loud noise here, pop up here. It had a good enemy concept, poor poor execution.

>Yeah I agree,yes the jump scares were terrifying but it gets to a point where I can't focus on the plot or the story because all I'm doing is mentally bracing myself for jump scares

Only the filmmakers can speak for themselves, but what you just described sounds like they'd take as a win.

I don't think ALL the jump scares needed to be cut out, but far far less than every 2 minutes. I suppose cutting out most of the jump scares would basically make it a different movie anyway.

The thing is: I don't think Hereditary necessarily has that strong of a premise comparatively, nor does Midsommar, but both are heavily praised for the fear it induces without relying on jump scares. They're not really that praised for the story, moreso the atmosphere. Both could have been LITTERED with scares, but they choose not to and it sticks with the viewer much more (usually).

I think Smile's premise did have potential like those two. Midsommar didn't have much to its plot either, but it was more effective as a slow burn showing her descent into madness and eventually joining the cult. It could have been similar with Smile as well...without the cult.

This post wasn't really criticism of Smile or anything, simply a wish of "what could've been." A hallucinatory trauma demon altering your perception and driving you to insanity is a terrifying concept and without the over-reliance on scares, I think it could've been a good, if not a decent psychological horror. But maybe I'm biased since I prefer horror with deep internal fear than physical scares.

Which jump scare are you referring to?

I disagree; I think the jumpscares worked wonderfully in Smile because there was a substantive story underneath.

I can see why you'd say that, but idk if its considered a win if I don't remember the plot or events cohesively, don't want to see the movie ever again and don't recommend it to anyone or give it a good rating. Whereas I saw Barbarian 3 times.

The one when she's in the parked car, it's in the very end of the trailer iirc

Meh, they’re the only thing that makes me feel anything close to fear so horror movies without them don’t make me feel any of “scary” emotions I’m supposed to feel.

My favourite jump scares are the closet scene in The Ring, and the fake Batman in the Dark Knight.