Not quite elevated horror, but better than most January horror films.
In 1996, Wes Craven’s Scream was released to unexpected success. It managed to be an entertainingly meta commentary on slasher movies while also being an example of one, and it managed to breathe life in what was a fading film genre. While not a perfect film by any means, the impact on the film industry is astronomical, and it spawned 3 sequels, as well as a tv series on MTV that lasted 3 seasons. Now, 25 years, a new sequel has been produced, this time by Paramount Pictures instead of Dimension Films under the title Scream, like Halloween (2018) and Candyman (2021).
Someone new has donned the Ghostface mask and is out targeting and killing people in Woodsboro, California. One of Ghostface’s targets is teenager Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega), although she manages to survive the attack, albeit, badly injured. The news of her attack makes way to her estranged sister, Sam, who is hiding a dark family secret that is connected to the original murders in 1996. When she sees what her and her sister are up against, Sara recruits the help of survivors Dewey Riley, Gale Weathers and Sidney Prescott to find out who amongst the town residents is Ghostface, and to put a stop to the murders while trying to remain alive.
What is notable about this Scream entry is that this is the first one to not be directed by Wes Craven, who sadly passed away in 2015. In the chair this time are co-directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who previously helmed 2019’s Ready or Not. They do a more than fair enough job in resuming the series by blending their filmmaking style with Craven’s to make it feel like a fresh and natural continuation. While they mostly succeed, there is one significant flaw with this film, and that is a lack of fun.
While the film is certainly fun in places, it does not have the sense of escapism that the previous films had. It could be because the story of the two Carpenter sisters is pretty heartbreaking, and even some of the attacks feel more brutal than they usually feel in the Scream films. It could also be because the film doesn’t have the tight and quick pacing that Wes Craven’s entries had, and as a result, feels slow in some places. In addition, the cinematography and handheld camera movement can’t help but feel out of place, and makes this film feel more like an episode of the TV series in places. What makes up for the weak cinematography, however, is the graphic violence. With the previous Scream films, the violence felt toned down to fill audiences with teenagers. The violence in this film feels more visceral and gorier and helps make the kills feel fresher.
As far as the acting is concerned, Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega give excellent performances as Sam and Tara, respectively. Jack Quaid also gives a highly entertaining performance as Sam’s boyfriend, Richie, who spends most of the film catching up on the Stab series to understand the events around him. Not all of performances are excellent, as some of the supporting characters act slightly annoying, and some of them look like they don’t even belong in high school. The film truly comes to life, however, when it brings back the legacy characters, and Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, and especially David Arquette, prove once again why they are fan favorites.
One of the main draws of the Scream franchise is its self-aware meta nature. The characters spend most of their time talking about the rules and tropes of horror films, as well as reference some of the more popular horror films of the time, including the in-universe slasher series, Stab. This latest Scream sequel certainly continues in that vein, this time referencing “elevated horror” films such as The Babadook and Hereditary, which have more mindful storytelling. In a way, this is a clever commentary on how many teenagers in modern times have different taste in horror compared to those in the 1990s. There is also great commentary on Hollywood sequels and “requels” not living up to the original, with examples such as Black Christmas, Child’s Play, and Flatliners. Sadly, because this film lacks escapism, there was also a missed opportunity to comment on how many modern Hollywood films feel that way. Instead, the film decides to take more surface-level jabs at Hollywood sequels, particularly at Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
Scream, or Scream 5, as it should be, is overall entertaining, even if it does not measure up entirely to its predecessors. As far as where it fits in the ranking of the Scream franchise, it is certainly more competent than Scream 3, but it is lacking the energy that made Scream 4 much more memorable. Fans of the series will enjoy it well enough, as it does have the characters and meta commentary they have grown to love and manages to pass the torch to a new cast well. If Ghostface calls and asks, “What is your favorite scary movie?”, this film may not be an ideal choice, but at least it could have been worse.
