Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.
A surprisingly effective low-budget horror film that takes as its true villain the casual cynicism and nihilistic misanthropy that so often go along with online culture. Read full review
It's worth saying that the final moments of Smiley are a grade above the by-the-numbers film that unfolded prior, but it's too little too late. Read full review
Smiley, is unfortunately less scary than, say, the prospect of your significant other accidentally discovering your search engine history. Read full review
Tell a die-hard horror-movie fan that the latest scary movie is the worst thing ever, and that fan will nod respectfully but still make plans to go see it. Horror fans must always see for themselves. All of which makes it a bit pointless to declare Smiley the year's dullest scare flick (thus far). Read full review
By-the-numbers slasher picture Smiley starts by borrowing the key concept of "Candyman," ends with a denouement heavily indebted to "Scream," and stuffs its middle with a dismayingly high quotient of lazy false scares. Read full review
Gallagher briefly threatens to turn Smiley into something closer to the hallucinatory psychological horror of "Repulsion," but he retreats to the more conventional twists and jump-scares expected of bottom-of-the-barrel slasher films like this one. This film will not do for the Internet what "Psycho" did for showers - no more computers have to be smashed because of it. Read full review
Failing to expand on the intriguing notion that evil can find physical form online, Smiley, like its sutured monster, is sadly more to be pitied than feared. Read full review
Michael J. Gallagher's half-cocked horror fiasco is filled with clichés, pitiful dialogue, and clumsy aesthetics. Read full review