HOLLYWOOD—It is hard to believe in 30 years, the “Scream” franchise is still kicking. The first flick was released in 1996 courtesy of writer Kevin Williamson and horror icon Wes Craven. Williamson’s script was sharp and changed the entire direction of the horror genre that was quite frankly dead. It brought life back to it. Since then, we’ve had 5 sequels, and now we can add another one to the list with “Scream 7” marking 30 years since the original was released in December 1996.
What makes this seventh entry so important? It sees the return of Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) dealing with another Ghostface killer, but higher stakes at play. Sidney’s return is important because the character was MIA in the sixth movie because of a pay dispute between Campbell and Spyglass Media. That is another tale for another time. This new entry doesn’t take place in Woodsboro, Thank God, but it sees Sidney back in the mix with her family, husband Mark Evans (Joel McHale) and teen daughter, Tatum (Isabel May), living in the town of Pine Grove, Indiana.
I will give kudos to Kevin Williamson and company, the opening act is thrilling, as it involves a couple, Scott (Jimmy Tatro) and Madison (Michelle Rudoloph) having a trip to Stu Macher’s infamous home, which has become a hot spot for tourists. Scott is a “Stab” fan and he has a great time, one that is quite exciting. That scene is no spoiler because the trailer practically gives it away. The movie than moves to Pine Grove, where we meet Sidney and her family. All is well, until Ghostface contacts Sidney threatening her daughter.
One of the big selling points for the movie is the strife between Sidney and her daughter Tatum. Sidney is a bit overprotective and why wouldn’t she be after all the trauma she has dealt with. I wish the story had leaned into that a lot more, show the tension more to elevate the stakes. “Scream 7” felt like an ode back to Sidney. She is the focal point and this is her story. Yes, we meet several of Tatum’s friends, Hannah (McKenna Grace), Chloe (Celeste O’Connor), Lucas (Asa Germann) and Ben (Sam Rechner), but they are a bit undeveloped for me, especially Hannah and Chloe. Lucas is an interesting one because everyone pegs him weird, including his mother, Jessica (Anna Camp). I wanted more of the ladies because they felt like fun.
Some of the characters are such red herrings, it was apparent they couldn’t be the infamous Ghostface. Again, the nostalgia is the big focal point of the movie. The music, the dialogue at times, and at least we got a few chase sequences this time around, especially the sequence in Sidney’s home is a strong one, a few others not so much.
My only frustration was that the suspense was not as intense as I had expected. Considering Williamson was back in the driver seat with the script and taking a stab as a director, I wanted to see the franchise bring that terror that the 1996 movie had, that no movie has come close to since “Scream 2.”
Ghostface is brutal on this go around. Some of the kills are vicious, like the one in the theater, at the bar, and some of the characters disappear for long periods of time. That is never good when you have a whodunit, because sometimes things feel so obvious. I do have to give the MVP award to Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox), when she makes her appearance at the start of the second act, it is a hoot. Her one liners are some of the best since “Scream 2.” I still believe “Scream 2” Gale Weathers is the best and we get a tinge of her here, and I wanted even more.
The audience was eating it up each time Gale appeared on the screen and whenever she interacted with any of the characters. This is true for the return of Mindy (Jasmine Savoy-Brown) and Chad (Mason Gooding). Yes, the twins from “Scream 5” and “Scream 6” are back, this time working as interns for Gale, Chad as the cameraman, and Mindy as a reporter in training. We do get a new rules expo via Mindy, but it just doesn’t hit like Randy did in “Scream,” “Scream 2” and “Scream 3” to be honest. They’re still fun and the banter between the twins is relatable.
The final act is a mixed bag. The reveal doesn’t deliver the punch I wanted, but there is a standout character, and the motive is believable, but its not one of those ‘Blow Your Socks’ off like the 1996 classic, or my personal fav in “Scream 2” that left me speechless. “Scream 7” tells me its time for Sidney’s tale to end, I think we need a “Scream 8” fingers crossed that focuses on Gale Weathers.
After 7 movies, we still know nothing about Gale’s family. We got a hint that her parents weren’t great in “Scream VI,” but that is plenty to eat off of. Why is that? Does she have siblings? What is it about Woodsboro she has always hated? How far did she go tot get to the top as a journalist? Just some thoughts that should be considered. Long story short, “Scream 7” is fun, but it is nothing iconic. Fans of the franchise will still flock to see it, everyone else, it is a give or take. If you want to laugh, jump and scream with an audience, it will be fun.
