Scream 7
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Scream 7 is playing in theaters at time of review. Rated R. Common Sense says 16+.
When a new Ghostface killer emerges in the town where Sidney Prescott (Never Campbell) has built a new life, her darkest fears are realized as her daughter (Isabel May) becomes the next target.
STORY: D
The franchise’s first misfire.
There’s the one-off opening kill sequence. There’s the meta-horror references. There’s the multiple Ghostfaces. It’s a formula that’s worked every time.
Until now.
For the first time, these rigid elements seem to strain the storytelling. The opening is predictable and blase. The meta-references feel forced. No one wants Scream to stray from the things that make it so successful and beloved, but at some point the narrative well will run dry if it doesn't add a few new wrinkles.
PEOPLE: D
Why bother getting to know you?
In a world famous for characters exiting well before the end credits, Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega’s absence hurts the film. We’re flooded with a bevy of newbies, but we barely get to know them. Which means we don't have a chance to care about them.
Neve Campbell’s return is wonderful. She’s still a legend, even if this script doesn’t let her do anything terribly legendary.
FILM NERD STUFF: F
Minimalism, but not the good kind.
The film feels like it was made by folks who had a lot of C minuses in high school. The craftsmanship too often feels like it’s doing the bare minimum amount of work to get by.
An example is the visual of a black construction suit hanging on the wall, a white hard hat placed precisely where the Ghostface mask should be.
I find the image interesting. I’m excited by it. Yet the camera treats it with zero enthusiasm. It cuts to the image, stays on it for a second, and then abruptly cuts away. There’s no dramatic reveal, no lingering camera, and the characters don’t even see it.
If the filmmakers don’t seem to care about what they’re showing us, why should we?
ONE BIG LESSON: D
Take a moment and breathe.
It’s hard to believe it’s been 30 years since Scream invented the meta-horror genre. That movie had decades of films to draw from while devising its meta-horror concept. But now, we’ve had three Scream films in four years.
As a result, this film flails about looking for a good idea, landing on an unsatisfying take on the “final girl.” Churning out films so rapidly results in less material to examine through its meta-lens.
Scream (2022) - despite using the franchise’s familiar formula - felt fresh because it came out eleven years after Scream 4, when the idea of requels emerged.
The franchise isn’t built to move faster than the industry.
FINAL COMMENTS:
Scream 7 is the franchise’s first misstep. But like the killer, don’t make the mistake of believing it’s dead.