After a lot of production and cast goings on, Scream returns again! This time the writer of the first, second, and fourth entries, Kevin Williamson, is directing. And most importantly, Neve Campbell is back!
Sidney Prescott is married to a police office (smart) and set up with a quiet life away from Woodsboro after missing the NYC attacks. She’s quite rightly no longer fazed when she gets a call with that voice. But it soon becomes apparent that this could be something or someone very different. Especially when they seem more interested in her now teenage eldest daughter Tatum.
In terms of how Sidney is set up, and how she responds to a new threat, it all seems about right. She doesn’t panic, calls out bullshit, and generally responds in a fashion befitting of someone who has seen it all before. Perhaps her mental and physical safety is pleasingly enough that she doesn’t feel a need to carry a gun. She probably should though! Campbell is the face of the franchise and she carries it well. Moving some of the focus to her daughter makes sense whilst still giving her plenty to do.
The direction is decent overall, though I can see how some kills – which I enjoyed – are more a fit for other franchises where the kills are more stylized. But there was also a lot here to raise an eyebrow.
Returning characters and some character decisions took me out of the moment. But. Not to spoil anything, but when one of my favourite bits of any Scream is the reveal, 7 clearly has the weakest reveal of the series. Can’t help but feel it undermines the rest of it.
I do Scream series rewatches every couple of years, so I know I’ll see 7 again. Like most Scream films, the tension and build up is what I’m here for. And I do like how it focuses on the idea that shielding someone trauma can make them more vulnerable to it. It’s still watchable, but there’s no denying it’s a weaker entry. Maybe even the weakest.
Roll on 8 I guess!
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