Scream VI

Arriving in theatres a little more than a year after Scream (2022), Scream VI changes things up by moving the Ghostface action to New York City. The film is also set around Halloween, which allows for countless references to other horror movie characters and franchises. The characters that survived Scream (2022) are a little less likeable this time around, as almost every one of them takes some time in the film to acknowledge the trauma that they've been through. The legacy characters feel fairly unnecessary this time around. Fans might lament the absence of Sidney Prescott, but it's hard to say if she would have really added much to the story. The new setting allows for some variety in the kills and set pieces, which keeps the movie from feeling stale. But it also feels like the filmmakers played it safe this time around. It's possible that the quick turnaround between films didn't leave them enough time to really flesh out the plot. Maybe they're just holding back for the next movie. It feels pretty safe to assume that there'll be a Scream VII at some point.

Rating: 65%

(Image from Wikipedia)

Fun Fact: Early on in the film, one of the characters is seen watching Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan.

Scream (2022)

Scream 4 was all about remakes, whereas 2022's Scream is fixated on the concept of the legacy sequel. A franchise extension that establishes new characters and creates new storyline opportunities for the series. While, at the same time, finding convoluted new ways to tie itself back to the mythology of the previous films and generate a means to trot out a number of familiar faces. Thankfully, it's still a Scream film, so there's a prominent monologue that happily points out the movie's own bullshit. Making another Scream film, without Wes Craven, was always going to be a risky maneuver but it's actually handled pretty well here. The performances are good all around and the new Gen Z characters are never irritating. The film's preposterous premise and meta approach to fan culture might divide some audiences but if you put on this movie hoping to see Ghostface stab the shit out of some people, you won't go away disappointed.

Rating: 69%

(Image from Wikipedia)