'Scream 7' Review: A Fun, But Messy Sequel That Can't Stick The Landing
Ghostface and his iconic getup are back to terrorize Sidney PRescott yet again in Scream 7, a fierce, fun, but ultimately messy sequel that shows a franchise that is beginning to show signs of wear and tear.
‘Scream 7’ catches audiences up with Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) who has settled into a quiet and comfortable life with her daughter Tatum (Isabel May) and husband Mark (Joel McHale) in a peaceful new town. However, that life becomes becomes threatened when Ghostface re-emerges once more to target and terrorize her and family, more specifically her daughter. With franchise alum Kevin Williamson at the helm now, this is a sequel that effectively showcases the series is in the hands of someone who knows this franchise in and out for better and worse.
Williamson worked hand in hand with longtime franchise captain, the late Wes Craven, to cement ‘Scream’ as the now iconic horror franchise it is. After penning the first four installments and sitting out the last two entries, Williamson has finally been given the reigns to write and direct his first entry. Fortunately, his knowledge of these characters and this world yields mostly terrific results, resulting in not only one of the better looking entries into this saga, but one of the most fun as well. The set pieces and kills are gruesome, well-staged and beautifully shot, harkening back to the look, tone and feel of the early entries with a playfulness and balance of humor and thrills. Returning this revered slasher to a small town setting was an inspired choice after ushering him to New York City for the previous film, bringing with it a nostalgic atmosphere with the fresh new twist of a new town as a backdrop for the story.
Coming back to the fold this time around is Campbell who was sorely missed in the last installment, once again showcasing the resilient and resourceful qualities of Sidney as she goes up against her longtime nemesis. However, she gets far more meat to chew off the bone here as the relationship between her and her daughter becomes a welcomed focal point of the story. Naturally, given how well-known and prolific her mother has become in social zeitgeist, her daughter has plenty of questions about Sidney’s traumatic past, but has never been able to squeeze out any details directly from the source. Sidney is cagey and not in the least forthcoming so inevitably the relationship between the two of them starts to feel strained with the ongoing threat of Ghostface only making matters worse. May and Campbell have fantastic chemistry, making their mother and daughter dynamic feel lived-in and authentic throughout. Sidney’s reluctance to open up to her daughter and her over protective qualities as a mother make her daughter a more vulnerable threat and the way the film explores that is quite compelling.
Also returning is Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers, who flocks to murder and crime like a moth to a bloody flame. The character has a far more engaging arc this time around, not only trying to rebuild her image as a crime reporter, but more importantly ensure that she’s able to be there for her friend who is constantly put in harm’s way. The scenes between Cox and Campbell are some of the film’s finest, the characters’ history feeling tangible in each moment of their time together. Seeing how their relationship that once started as prickly and adversarial has now slowly evolved into a close kinship instigated by shared trauma felt earned and emotionally engaging. The new supporting cast, including the likes of Mckenna Grace, Asa Germann, Celeste O’ Connor, and Sam Rechner unfortunately fail to register as anything more than teen horror caricatures, a problem stemming far more from the material they’re given then the performances themselves. Luckily, the return of franchise favorites Chad (Mason Gooding) and Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown) help alleviate the problem with their deeply entertaining commentary and suspicions pertaining to this new group of suspects.
The history of the series permeates every frame of this sequel, something that works to its benefit especially in regards to the central whodunnit mystery of the identity of this new Ghostface. At this point, audiences have seen virtually every breed of killer and suspect, ranging from the obvious to the most innocuous. This plays nicely into the central mystery, the film able to successfully toy with the audience’s expectations throughout as the suspects get eliminated one by one. Williamson also deftly weaves nostalgia and emerging technology into the script, the latter making the mystery more daunting and unpredictable, planting the seeds of paranoia and suspicion constantly. Unfortunately, the resolution to this mystery is perhaps the most lackluster and underwhelming of the franchise to date.
The third act of the film is where it truly falters and drops the ball, delivering a climax that is as limp as the reveal of who Ghostface ultimately is. When the story reaches its fever pitch, the stakes and tension simply don’t feel high enough and the terror doesn’t feel nearly as palpable as it should. The thrills become in short supply and it was difficult to care about any of the new additions to the cast considering how two-dimensional their characters were. Making matters far worse is the unmasking of Ghostface and their motivations, which is as disappointing as it is laughable. The reveal, unlike other entries, feels as if its almost tacked onto the story instead of being treated like the crucial ingredient to its success which is always is. As a result, the horror sequel can’t stick the landing and ushers in an ending that will make audiences scratch their heads far more than making their jaws drop.
‘Scream 7’ is a highly entertaining, fun and handsomely crafted sequel that most fans will enjoy watching in a packed theater. However, its forgettable and poorly developed new characters in addition to a wobbly and messy third act make this latest entry a frustrating mixed bag. When it comes to this franchise, there may be some gas left in the tank, but its abundantly clear that it’s starting to leak plenty of fuel.