‘Scream’ (2022) Movie Review

2022’s Scream picks up just over a decade after where Scream 4 left off, this time riffing on the new trend of “requels” (long-belated sequels to horror classics meant to reignite a franchise). After a girl named Tara (Jenna Ortega) is attacked by a Ghostface copycat, her sister Sam (Melissa Barrera), and Sam’s boyfriend, Richie Kirsch (Jack Quaid), contact the now-retired Sheriff Dewey Riley (David Arquette) to help them survive someone’s obvious attempt at a requel to the infamous Woodsboro murders. And soon, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox) have no choice but to get involved.

Scream 4 (2011) was the last film made by horror legend Wes Craven, so I was initially somewhat offended by the notion of continuing the series after his passing. But with the requel craze as prevalent as ever, a new Scream movie was actually a great means of satirizing the latest fad in horror (as they have done in the past). As skeptical as I was going in, I thought Scream ‘22 was great! Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (Ready Or Not) have a clear understanding of what a Scream film should be. They found a way to let the film follow in the footsteps of Craven’s films while also having its own identity, which I know could not have been an easy task. This was the main thing that gave me pause leading up to the film’s release. With Scream 4 being Wes Craven’s last film before he was taken by brain cancer, it seemed kind of disrespectful to undo the finality of that movie by continuing the franchise. But this new Scream film really felt like a reverent tribute to not just the previous four films, but to Wes himself and the legacy he created.

The cast of a Scream film is key to its success, and Scream ‘22 has a damn good one. With Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courtney Cox, and Marley Shelton returning (along with a couple other surprise appearances), the new cast members were already set up for success, because the connection felt legitimate and natural. This new group is comprised of young people who are all related to previous characters, including Randy’s niece and nephew, Deputy Hicks’s son, Stu’s nephew, and two connections that I won’t reveal. This is very much in keeping with the typical requel tropes being spoofed. Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, and Jack Quaid (son of Dennis) are ostensibly our main leads, and they do an excellent job. All of these people feel real while also being entertaining. There’s also some nice diversity in the cast, and it didn’t feel forced, which is good.

The Scream franchise has always had the daunting task of both acknowledging clichés and being unpredictable. Scream 3 notoriously got way too far fetched and convoluted in its attempts to remain unpredictable, and this led many fans to resent it. I don’t hate it, but it absolutely did jump the shark. Scream 4 was a lot less ridiculous, but its focus was much more about the commentary then the actual horror (still pretty good, though). Then again, I’m also that weirdo that likes Scream 2 the most, so take that how you will. This new movie does a wonderful job of being both suspenseful and incredibly clever. Of course, I would expect nothing less from the team behind Ready Or Not. The film had a particular twist that totally threw me for a loop, and that really impressed me. I also really enjoyed the satirical side of it. Not only do they poke fun at the new influx of requels, they also parody toxic superfandom and the way it can devolve into bullying if fans don’t get exactly what they want (even featuring a not-so-subtle nod to The Last Jedi). As one who finds this kind of thing so maddening, I greatly appreciated this. When the humor was largely absent from the first trailer, I was nervous that the film would be lacking in that department, so o was very relieved to see that it excelled at such.

The 2022 Scream requel/requel parody is an efficient combination of terror and satire, and it’s 100% worthy of its namesake. It’s take on modern horror trends feels authentic, but very affectionate, and the character work is as strong as ever. I think I speak for most when I say that Wes would approve.

SCORE: 4.5/5