Plot: What’s it about?
It’s hard for me to write a review of a new Scream movie without my eye twitching. On one hand, I have to hand it to the franchise – it served as a homage to the slasher films of the 70’s and 80’s and, in doing so, created a genre of its own. The creators of this line, Kevin Williamson and Wes Craven (who directed some of the films that the movie was lampooning) did something right, though. And, as of this writing, the first installment came out three decades ago. To put it in perspective, I’m writing this in my early 50’s and I was still in college when we saw Drew Barrymore’s Casey get killed in the opening sequence (oops: spoiler). But…here we are. The success of the original gave us a sequel the next year and it’d be a few more years before the next installment. Nearly another decade would pass before the abysmal Scream 4 and another decade before we were graced with Scream (though the 5 is conspicuously left off the title). There ya go, the (mostly) history of the Scream franchise. Oh, well there’s that and the fact that the two lead actresses: Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega, both planned to star, bolted over some social media posts. At any rate – let’s get started. Again.
Unlike the last few installments, the focus isn’t on Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera), rather it shifts back to familiar territory with Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and the film even poked a bit of fun for her not being in the sixth installment. She’s now far from home in Woodsboro and lives with police chief Mark Evans (Joel McHale) along with teenage daughter Tatum (Isabel May). Things get weird when she receives a video call from Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard), someone who she believed to be dead for quite some time. He’s threatening to finish the job he couldn’t in the first film. It’s not clear if he’s bluffing or he somehow really did managed to survive all this time. Regardless, there’s a killer in a ghostface mask that begins to threaten Sidney and her family. We can pretty much connect the dots from there.
There’s actually a lot to like about this one, namely as it puts the focus back on Neve Campbell’s Sidney – a role she’ll likely never live down. And I’m sure she’s OK with that as that role has made her bank account very happy. We also have Kevin Williamson back as a writer and director (his first), so it’s nice to know that the franchise was in good, familiar hands. And, not to be overlooked are familiar faces with Courtney Cox once again reprising her role as Gale Weathers and “is he or isn’t he” Matthew Lillard as Stu Macher. Obviously I won’t ruin the surprise. This one just feels more like a Scream film than some of the newer ones. Or maybe it’s just me being nostalgic. At any rate, with franchises like Fast and Furious, Mission: Impossible and Halloween – this one isn’t far behind. Love it or leave it – it’s likely we’ve not see the last of Sidney. Or Gale. Or Ghostface.
Video: How’s it look?
This latest version is more of the same, but don’t read anything into that. The 2.39:1 HEVC 4K image leaves very little to the imagination due to its razor sharp (sorry, couldn’t resist) detail, excellent contrast and HDR that brings out the lower lows and higher highs of the spectrum. Those familiar with the series know of the graphic nature, though this one seems to turn it up a notch. Suspend your disbelief – it’s not real, but it looks pretty darn amazing.
Audio: How’s it sound?
Dolby Atmos? No complaints here. I’ve always been amazed at how the sound of a knife whisking through the air can make a “shing” sound. Think of the sound of Wolverine’s claws and that’ll serve as a good basis of comparison. Or don’t. Suffice it to say that all the boxes are checked with crisp, clear vocals, an ambiance that (in some scenes) is second to none and the atmopsheric screams and thuds that make up the Scream franchise. I know audiophile’s like to complain about things, but I really found nothing amiss with this uncompressed mix. I was amply satisfied – you will be as well.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Scar Tissue: The Making of Scream 7 – Kevin Williamson once again takes the helm! We’ve come full circle with the writer, so watch the legacy cast survive the set of the most personal Scream yet. Don’t forget the rules.
- Building Tension: Production Design – We get a look and discover the designs behind the goriest death traps and get an inside look at the making of the iconic Macher house.
- Dance of Death: Stunts – What does it take to be a final girl? Go inside the choreography of the film’s most intense chases and physical face-offs with Ghostface.
- Ice Nine Kills Presents “Twisting the Knife” – A music video that features Mckenna Grace – Generic stuff here…
- Deleted Scenes – Six total including the talked about post-credit sequence with Stu Macher.
The Bottom Line
The seventh installment in the franchise took in just over $200 million globally (on a $45 million dollar budget). What’s that mean for the rest of us? Scream 8 will most likely be a thing. At this point, you’re either sick of the franchise or can’t get enough. I don’t know where I stand. But for those that are in the former camp, this one delivers with a decent selection of supplements and reference-quality audio and video.
