Movie Review: Scream (2022)

 

The Scream franchise has always been a shining star in the horror slasher genre. Originally released in 1996, the series has taken great pride in being a metatextual commentary on the slasher genre while also being a compelling and truly scary experience to watch at the same time. After spanning over 4 major sequels over the course of the past 25 years, it's fitting that the latest entry in the franchise; simply named Scream, pays great tribute to the history of the series while also standing tall and utilising the modern day setting to keep it fresh and relevant.

The development of Scream (2022) is interesting as it's a joint effort by a filmmaking collective called Radio Silence. Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett and co-written by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick, the filmmakers are no strangers to the horror franchise having previously worked together to release Ready or Not back in 2019. It's through these creative and co-operative people that I feel Scream (2022) get's down the style and tone so well; you genuinely feel this film was directed and written by people who get what this franchise is truly about. The setup of the film follows a new set of teenage characters in Woodboro as they find themselves targeted and hunted down by a new Ghostface killer. This brings in Samantha Carpenter, the new central character of this story who left Woodsboro many years ago due to a traumatic secret. As the story progresses down familiar yet distinctly new territory, we see the legacy of the franchise come to light through the return of classic characters like Dewey Riley, Gale Weathers and the MVP herself; Sydney Prescott. 

I honestly adore the narrative setup of this movie. Similar to Spider-Man No Way Home I had some initial concerns that this film would simply rely on nostalgia and not say or do anything new with it. That worry was quickly dealt with though as I genuinely felt this film accomplished the same feat No Way Home did. It pays great tribute to the roots of the series but uses that legacy in a way that feels smart and is used to forward the narrative in a fundamentally positive way. The fact we get a Scream movie in the modern era and it can utilise the shift in the horror film genre's style and substance over the recent years is so refreshing. It talks about how much expectations and concepts in horror have shifted beyond the slasher genre yet it also makes a strong case that Scream can still play the game brilliantly and be truly relevant in a modern age. It's incredibly smart writing and I'll never stop appreciating the metatextual commentary being layered on top of this truly exciting slasher horror storyline being played out.  When it's not trying to commentate on the modern horror genre it's also dishing out a lot of fun scares and graphic kills as well. Scream has always been visually graphic and I adore the fact Scream (2022) comes to the table with a great collection of sequences to showcase it's still got the ability to make you jump and squirm when it truly matters.  

I think the performances for the most part are another great addition as well. David Arquette, Courtney Cox and Neve Campbell all return back to the roles with complete ease and I like how they still manage to showcase a serious development to these characters with the time that has passed. Some of new cast of characters are also another great element, there's a lot of great young actors in this who are able to fill the roles and offer a notable impression.  I say some because it's not a perfect set up, I think some characters and the actors portraying them don't offer as compelling a performance as their co-stars and no where is this more visible than in Melissa Barrera as Samantha. I don't think Melissa is a bad actor, she did a great job as Vanessa in 2021's In The Heights but her performance here feels rather restrained when compared to her co-stars. This wouldn't be such a problem if she was a side character, but the fact she plays as the main characters in the story makes her restrained performance all the more noticeable. 

Despite some of the weaker performances though I honestly hold Scream (2022) as my favourite sequel in this franchise. It pays so much tribute to the franchise and it's developments over the past 25 years while establishing a strong set up for the future of this franchise. Wes Craven sadly died in 2015 but what he left behind was a legacy of horror that will be cherished for generations to come.  I like to think if Wes was alive today, he'd be proud of Scream (2022) and what it manages to accomplish, I know I am.