Scream 4 Review

Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!

Plot Summary: 15 years after the original Woodsboro massacre, Sid returns home to promote a book when she is, yet again, targeted by a masked killer.

Review: When this movie was first announced, I was incredibly skeptical of what the quality would be like after all the time since three came out in 2000. What was worse was that the rumors at the time indicated that the story would have nothing to do with Sidney; this is ludicrous since the ghostface killer would still be there. Thankfully, through much prodding, the original cast of survivors, save for Patrick "Mcdreamy" Dempsey, returned to reprise their roles; that son of a bitch should have been the killer or at least killed off in the first scene or something! I don't understand why "Scream 4" was not very successful especially in comparison to the other entries. Not only is this film just as good as part two and three, but it was able to satirize the current wave of shitty horror remakes that have been coming out (of someone's ass) in recent years. "But Ryan, you say "The Ring" is one of the best horror movies ever." Yeah, well, there are exceptions to the rule, and it was one of the rare few to arguably succeed at it's purpose: surpass the original. Anyway, let's examine why audiences weren't interested any longer and why I feel they're wrong.

One of the biggest problems, right out the gate, is the fact that this film even exists; I seem to recall a certain conversation about this being a "trilogy." A lot of people did not care for "Scream 3" so I think they figured why waste their time with an unplanned fourth entry over a decade later. As an extension of this idea is the fact that the original fanbase of the franchise has "grown up" so to speak. This is a sequel for a new generation, as they advertise, that knows nothing about these beloved characters. It's kind of ironic because the age group this film is targeting doesn't have the working knowledge of the genre like '80s kids had regarding the tired slasher formula by the time the '90s rolled around. This is also the era of remakes, ripoffs, sequels, prequels, adaptations, based on (fake) real life, etc. so I think this film's statement was sorely missed because it falls into the same category of the films it's satirizing; this can be summed up poetically by Sid with the line, "Don't fuck with the original!" The other major gripe is in regards to the ending and the identity of the killers. For one, Sid, Gale and Dewey all surviving frustrates me to no end. Sid has really grown on me over the years, but for the love of god let Gale or Dewey finally die. I want to feel on edge again, and if no main character dies you don't feel as though the stakes are high. As for the two killers, Charlie and Jill, they come off as wannabes of the past killers. Charlie is part Mickey with a little Stu, and Jill is pretty much a straight Roman copy with a slight tweak to the motive with emphasis on fame rather than pure jealousy. While I can appreciate the degree of insanity Jill possessed, being, maybe, the craziest of all the killers, but I was expecting some kind of reasoning we wouldn't anticipate. Charlie is a complete waste because all we know about him is that he was manipulated by Jill as a makeshift love interest. Likewise, this whole notion of filming the killings to "make the movie" is not explored properly. It was a creative idea and the logical next step, but this story line seems to drift off to oblivion at some point. It's hard to explain, but there was a certain level of oomph missing from the final act. Lastly, this franchise has been known for its soundtracks that set the tone including the fan favorite song, "Red Right Hand," which was nowhere to be heard. Generic "scary" music doesn't quite cut it for a series that has billed itself as "hip and clever."

Okay, with all of that said, this film presents plenty of strong points that make it a worthy followup in this franchise. The opening scene is brilliant in its simplicity since it toys with the audience's expectations while delivering a unique experience. Joking that the "Stab" franchise was up to part 7 and involved time travel was a clever shot. As I addressed, the satire is actually more on par with the first "Scream" rather than the sequels because it really hammers in the depressing state of horror, especially in regards to slashers. It's not to say there aren't great horror movies still, but the mainstream shit has sucked for a long time now with rare glimpses of hope. To help express these themes thoroughly, we are introduced to some really fun and interesting new characters. I especially loved Kirby, played by the lovely Hayden Panettiere, who is a horror buff and a funny one on top of that. I like to believe Kirby survived since she was still alive when Charlie left her, but the reporters did express only Jill had lived. Robbie was another likable character with one of the more memorable deaths, and Judy makes for a strong red herring while simultaneously becoming a welcomed survivor. Although she was a throwaway victim, the buxom Alison Brie, as Sid's publicist, is always appreciated! The returning cast all do a great job showing us that they "still have it." Sid writing and promoting a book about her life while visiting Woodsboro was a creative way to bring all the characters together after such a long hiatus. Even some of ghostface's conversations were among the best in this series.

You know, it really sucks that this film wasn't a bigger hit because now I doubt we will ever see a part five; but you never know, a part four had been rumored since 2000 and look how long it took. As I mentioned with "Scream 2," the consistency in quality from this franchise is one of the strongest points to keep watching each entry. Everything that worked in the past installments worked well this time around while bringing some new aspects to the table; it stays true to the core story elements while approaching the genre's current shenanigans intelligently. While it's not perfect, this film is a highly satisfying update to a franchise that never fails to keep you engaged with the story and its characters. If you're a big fan of this franchise, especially from the beginning like me, then this one most definitely won't disappoint. Maybe have a movie-marathon one day and watch all four back to back for the best judgement of the films.

Notable Moment: Although the opening scene is a great contender, the best scene is probably when Kirby is trying to answer the killer's question about a horror remake and she runs through the ridiculous amount of remakes there have been in recent years. I know this scene can come off comical, if not, over the top, but it hits home with just how unoriginal ideas in Hollywood have been for a long time now.

Final Rating: 7/10