Does the highly successful SCREAM 7 deserve the pummeling it received from critics? Nah, not at all. It’s got a spooky, surprisingly mature melancholy vibe going for it, one of the best kills in the franchise (clearly inspired by the classic 1981 slasher MY BLOODY VALENTINE), one of the stronger opening set pieces and juggles themes concerning trust, the paranoia of parenthood, the threat of AI, post-trauma survival and toxic parasocial relationships fairly well (especially considering that its director, Kevin Williamson, is responsible for the cinematic detention known as TEACHING MRS TINGLE). It’s understandable that some folks might be reluctant to support the film on account of its lamentable behind the scenes drama (in a nutshell: Production company Spyglass Entertainment fired proposed returning actress Mellissa Barrera for speaking her mind, lost co-star Jenna Ortega and the creatives known as Radio Silence due to their solidarity with her, and caused a complete upheaval of the planned trilogy story arc). Personally though, I’m far too invested in the long running SCREAM franchise to consider a boycott. It takes many, many folks to make a movie so my attendance is officially in support of the film career of newbie horror icon McKenna (ANNABELLE COMES HOME) Grace and frankly, I need to know what my boo Gale Weathers is up to (It helps that avoiding unpleasant reality is a specialty of mine). Anyway, it turns out that all the negative energy surrounding the flick kept my expectations duly in check and as much as I enjoyed recent SCREAMs 5 & 6, I ended up digging 7 even more. It’s got an eerie, quieter tone (similar to my faves the OG & Part 4 ) and I didn’t miss the sometimes overly flashy and chaotic (too lively for gramps) beat of the previous two entries.
Venerable “celebrity victim” Sidney Prescott (properly paid her worth, Neve Campbell) is back and seemingly following in the luckless (yet pleasingly autumnal) footsteps of final squirrel Laurie Strode (preparing for the inevitable a’ la 2018's HALLOWEEN and pissing off her overprotected child a’ la ’98’s H2O… sans the problem drinking, self sabotage and questionable hair). Like many successful authors, she’s gone and opened a coffee shop (?) in a small town to raise her daughter Tatum (a surprisingly engaging Isabel May) hopefully in a murderer-free environment. Tatum seems a bit too tall to be Sid’s kid until you learn her cop-pop Mark Evans is played by longshanks Joel McHale ( I easily accept Joel as a police officer thanks to 2014’s DELIVER US FROM EVIL). Unsurprisingly, suburban harmony is short lived when one of Tatum’s besties Hannah (aforementioned horror royalty McKenna Grace) is heartlessly slaughtered while rehearsing for a high school production of Peter Pan (in which Tatum plays the dog). Who is responsible for this SCOOBY DOO calamity? Stalwarts Gale Weathers (Queen Courtney Cox with a killer entrance) and sidekick Meeks-Martin sibs Mindy & Chad ( Jasmin Savoy Brown & Mason Gooding) provide back-up in the search for multiple red herrings and iffy clues. Happily for me, no wheels are attempted to be reinvented and the entire cast is much more likable than usual, Sidney especially. Gone are Sid’s hemming and hawing quirky mannerisms and instead what stands before us is a take no crap momma bear we can all be proud of. She’s straight forward, direct and focused on others besides herself. I think this my favorite iteration of her and that’s saying a lot.
Maybe I’m just half glass full rationalizing, but did things somehow (no thanks to the powers that be) work out for the best? At least in the fictional SCREAM universe? By sitting out the last installment (due to a warranted salary dispute) Neve/Sidney developed a strong, returning champion status and solidifies further audience loyalty and appreciation. By not returning here the Carpenter sisters Sam and Tara ( Barrera & Ortega) avoid bummer fates (Tara was set to die, Sam was to become a killer bent on revenge) and provide some much needed space to focus on the Heckle and Heckle comedic stylings of the suddenly much more endearing Meeks-Martin twins Chad & Mindy (Mason Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown). If things had gone as planned, I’m not sure we would have gotten a glimpse into what I think may be the present heart of the series, the the reluctant yet powerful friendship and comradery between Sidney and Gale. At one point Sid describes their relationship as “complicated but enduring” and I found that strangely affecting (not sure if credit goes to Williamson or reliable Guy (FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES, ABIGAIL, READY OR NOT) Busick). Missed too probably would be Sid clarifying to her daughter that she named her after her BRAVE friend Tatum not her “victim” friend Tatum which I also found fortifying. Surely not all will agree, but as a lifelong slasher fan and SCREAM enthusiast since day one, I was very pleased with how 7 luckily hurdled every messy obstacle thrown its way. If I have one complaint, it’s only that Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere) wasn’t squeezed into the winning proceedings. Oh well, there’s always part 8 for that.
Here is my current SCREAM ranking: 1, 4, 2, 7, 6, 5, 3 so 7 is right in the middle and I kinda love them all. 3 looses points for Jay & Silent Bob and Jenny McCarthy (a preferred Kate Hudson was originally cast).
Sorry for the delay in posting this! Got some brain fog going on! Wrote this weeks ago but it was a swampy mess (still may be) that needed major weeding (I edited out half of it). I really miss the days when I didn’t know a thing about a movie till it hit the theater! Internet gotta ruin everything!
Hope all is well & Hang in there for a FUNHOUSE soon!
I didn't watch this one yet (so little time; so little money). I did watch Undertone this week, though, and really liked it. I think it's worth seeing a theater, as the sound design is terrific and spooky (the best element of the movie, for sure), and it is something you probably can't experience at home unless you have an expensive soundbar/speaker Sonos-type set-up.
My Scream rankings: 2,1,5,4,6,3. I really liked Melissa and Jenna and was sad to see them go.
I really enjoyed Neve here and was glad she got such a big role. Sidney is heart of the series and I really felt like I was spending time with an old friend while watching. The killer reveal had some issues and I couldn't name one of the teen characters but for the most part I really liked this entry. My biggest quibble would be not enough Courteney Cox. Why did she disappear for most of the final act?!
(P.S. I watched this the same day I saw The Bride and I'm SO glad Scream 7 was the palate cleanser! I'm not recommending you suffer through The Bride but if you do see it I'd love to read your thoughts.)
I saw The Bride. There were elements I liked. The 1930s setting was interesting, and the idea of young women looking up to the Bride as a role model was a good idea (but too brief, and apparently something similar happened in the Joker sequel, which I haven't seen, so I have no idea about that).
Frank looking up to Jake Gylenhaal's movie star for overcoming polio (I think) to become a dancer and movie star was touching, and I thought the big musical sequence at the club in New York was great. The idea of Penelope Cruz being the real detective and Peter Sarsgaard being a front was also interesting, but it never goes anywhere.
Unfortunately, I thought the movie had some good ideas, and a great visual style, but it never really came together, and was much too disjointed. It's also too long, and the final chase sequence seemed to run forever.
I wanted to like it, but, honestly, I liked Poor Things and even Lisa Frankenstein much more (del Toro's Frankenstein, too).
That being said, Jessie Buckley's performance was great, and fearless. She really went for it. I still prefer Emma Stone's Bella in Poor Things, though (she deservedly won an Oscar, but, hey, now Buckley has, too).
SDC,
I’m going to try to get a post up about Undertone soon! I liked Melissa and Jenna as well. Hopefully they can return at some point but don’t blame them if they’d rather not (I think I few declined cameos in 7 and not over scheduling). I do like the idea that their characters are living normal lives somewhere safe and under any Ghostface radar.
I put 6 over 5 just because of Kirby and I dig the NY setting for a change (even though I generally prefer suburban SCREAM). 3 always gotta be last though. I just re-watched them all for 7 and 3 though amusing is a mess.
DekesYellowBikini,
Totally agree about Gale, can never get enough of her. Was worried when she disappeared for a while and relieved when she showed up at the end.
I really had a problem with Gale being shot in 5 and just laying down in the front yard for a stretch. Seemed like lazy writing.
I tried to be a little patient with Gale not being around as much because they were trying to focus on Sid & her kid and I did enjoy seeing the more maternal side of Sid but I’m pretty much always wondering where Gale is. I think she needs her own spin off at this point. I would watch the hell out of THE GALE WEATHERS FILES.
It’s weird I couldn’t get myself to see THE BRIDE, I’m usually open to anything but they kinda made it look like a JOKER movie and I wasn’t in the mood. Also thought it was bad timing to put it out so soon after Del Toro’s FRANKENSTEIN because I’d rather have a BRIDE movie in that universe!
I’ll check it out when it hits home viewing though! I do like Jessie Buckley… speaking of Oscars winners… I’m very happy/over the moon about Amy Madigan winning for WEAPONS. I’ve returned to that movie several times and love it more each time. The flashy , funny side of Aunt Gladys is one thing but when she is ailing and raw, she’s truly scary to me and I love it. Been fascinated/frightened by witches since I was a kid though.
SmallDarkCloud, that's pretty much sums up my thoughts on The Bride exactly. I thought it looked fantastic and there were some really interesting ideas that just never got developed properly. And I personally tired of Buckley's always-at-100 performance. It's definitely fearless, as you say, and I respect the commitment but it just got to be too much for me. I need to watch Hamnet and see the performance that won her the Oscar. I will watch The Bride again when it hits streaming or cable so I can have closed captioning on. I definitely think I missed some plot details due to my fading hearing (*sigh*)
And yes, go Amy Madigan! So glad she won for Weapons. And thrilled for Sinners wins too!