Scream (2022) (Movie Review)

The original Scream is a touchstone movie for kids of the 90s.  Case in point, I was barely 16 when it came out and saw it in the theater three times in one week.  This set me on a path towards deep fandom in the horror genre.  Now I have my own son who is 16 and starting to get interested in spooky films.  Last summer I showed him a selection of horror classics and when I surveyed him on his preferences he immediately said he liked Scream (1996) the most.  So what would a new Scream franchise movie look like in 2022?

This installment follows the “requel” path much in the same vein as the new Star Wars sequels, especially The Force Awakens.  There is even a maligned Stab sequel by the director of Knives Out.  We follow a new set of Woodsboro teens led by sisters Sam (Melissa Barrera) and Tara (Jenna Ortega) who are being attacked by someone or someones who dress as the Ghostface Killer.  We spend surprisingly little time with legacy characters Sydney Prescot (Neve Cambell), Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox), and Dewey (David Arquette) as they show up occasionally to mentor the new cast and pass on the torch.  There are many life events for these characters that are alluded to but not expanded on.  The restraint allows the viewer to fill in the blanks (until they are filled in with a later installment).  This film is not about them.  It is about how their installments/ trauma informs this new generation.

The new crew fairs well and are attuned to the current trends in horror.  They discuss “elevated horror” such as It Follows, The Babadook, The Witch, and Hereditary.  Outside of Sam and Tara, we don’t spend much time with the rest of the group.  A few more scenes with their group of friends would have gone a long way.  I do like the twin siblings who are very aware that they are in a horror movie and act accordingly.

There are plenty of cameos and meta discussions about the rules to survive a “requel” to keep fans happy.  Thankfully there are no impromptu serenades and Jay and Silent Bob are nowhere to be found.  I enjoyed a quick bit with some popular horror Youtubers.  All that being said, this film is darker than other installments both in look and tone.  There are some brutal deaths in this movie.  The knife stabs have always been a staple of the Scream franchise but the ones here feel more visceral.  They seem to last longer and do not shy away from the blade’s full impact. 

A major theme in all of this is fandom of the toxic kind.  The filmmakers (directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett) almost hedge their bets by asking “How can fandom be toxic?  It’s about love”.  Whether you grew up renting Scream movies on VHS or a Gen Z newby building your horror cred, are you willing to give this one a fair chance?