“What’s your favourite scary movie?”
Since Scream 4 came out in 2007, the horror genre has evolved beyond simple slasher films. There is always a well-worked gimmick or twist to accompany these films. ..
Scream is a reworked version of the original movie, complete with the same house, a similarly snarky band of teenagers and a big “whodunit” over who the killer could be. Sprinkle in some familiar faces, and Scream has all the hallmarks to be another lazy hashed remake. And yet… it’s somehow not. ..
Scream has always been a meta horror, which is partly why it manages to get away with embracing its own clichés so effectively. Everything here is self-aware that this is a “requel”, complete with legacy characters and gory deaths. But yet, somehow this seems to allow for a bit more leniency when it comes to the questionable character motivations and story beats.
As the town starts to unravel the secrets of who is responsible for these killings, Scream takes on a life of its own. With new characters and old ones, it’s up to the detectives in charge to track down the Ghostface Killer before he strikes again.
As the town begins to piece together who is responsible for Tara’s injuries, they quickly realize that the killer is someone they know very well. With help from their old friends, the town comes up with a plan to catch the killer before he can hurt anyone else.
As the slasher movie rules are laid out, the gang quickly realize that one among them is the killer. But who is it?
The basic plot of the movie is a carbon copy of the original. The opening is stylized exactly the same way, the big killer reveal at the end is almost identical, with a big villain monologue, and various deaths and moments from the first movie are either referenced or copied beat for beat.
Scream is a well-made horror movie that has some good moments and some bad ones. The good moments are the scares and the suspense. The bad moments are the reused scenes, the slow pacing, and the lack of innovation.
The scene in question is a key turning point in the movie, and it’s one that many viewers found difficult to stomach. It’s also one of the most iconic scenes from Scream. Near the middle of the movie, Scream tries to go its own path and fails miserably. In the interest of spoilers, I won’t reveal names here but it includes two deaths back-to-back, the second of which is dragged out a painfully long time, as fridge doors are opened and closed, while the camera hugs to this person’s back the whole time. The scene in question is a key turning point in the movie, and it’s one that many viewers found difficult to stomach. It’s also one of the most iconic scenes from Scream. ..
The plot zips along at a pretty lively pace and as Scream ramps up to its third act in a pretty compelling way, making good use of its ensemble, with a sprinkling of deaths paving the way in blood.
But what about the rest of the cast? Well, they all seem to be in good spirits and doing their best to contribute to the proceedings. But there’s a lot of question marks over who will be returning for Season 2 and what new stories will be told.
The film’s main focus is on Sidney and Gale’s quest to find Sam, a young boy who has refused to listen to them. The journey is largely focused on their efforts to hurry after Sam, and the film does provide some moments of relief in the form of a bit more action. However, until the film’s climax, Sidney and Gale are primarily here for nostalgia.
The Scream movie is a meta and parodic take on the original horror movie. The main storyline borrows heavily from the original, making it feel intentional by design. The attempts to inject a bit of spontaneity into the mix (like the aforementioned double-death) fall completely flat but the inclusion of 3 original cast members will be enough for many people to overlook this. And to be fair, there are some really enjoyable segments here.
Scream is a decent slasher film. It’s not great, but it’s not bad either. It’s a tribute to the original Scream and as such, it’s about as good as you could hope for. Whether this will hold up to repeat viewings remains to be seen, but as of now, Scream is an enjoyable watch. ..
