Scream VI

  • 18 Mar - 24 Mar, 2023
  • Mag The Weekly
  • Reviews

After more than a decade, the Scream franchise made a comeback in 2022 with a remake, and both fans and critics praised it as an excellent movie. Sequels frequently fall short of expectations and first outing sets' high standards. The second volume, which is directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, is an exception to this rule. This one's subject matter and approach are more serious. This time, it's not as flimsy as the prior one, where the killers were Stab movie enthusiasts. Samantha (Melissa Barrera) and Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega), Samantha's half-sister, have a link that explains why Ghostface is on a murderous rampage.

As victims fall one after another in the twisted and menacing opening sequence, which establishes the tone for the rest of the film, it is clear that this is a serious movie. It's encouraging to note that this story does not follow the tired trope of a female victim who receives a sicko's call while she is by herself at home and falls victim to his butchery. The next scene—which has a cinema studies professor who specialises in slasher films getting fired—is wonderfully done.

Scream VI is hardly mindless slasher fare, despite having a lot of blood and gore in it. There are meta-references, but the most compelling sections are when Sam is continuously reminded of her lineage as the daughter of Billy Loomis, the original Woodsboro Ghostface murderer, which also reveals a hint of her darker side. You'll be on the edge of your seat as you watch the numerous killings and action scenes as the heroes attempt to flee. There are scenes that will make you gasp, such as the metro train scene where Ethan (Jack Champion) and Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown) are left behind, and the frenetic Halloween setting that makes you feel smothered.

Fans of the franchise will be thrilled to see the return of FBI agents Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere) and Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox). Several actors provide strong support to the principal cast, which includes Melissa Berrera, Jenna Ortega, Jasmin Savoy Brown, and Mason Gooding (as Chad Meeks-Martin). A few laughs are produced by the characters' banter and sarcastic exchanges (such as that between Gale and Kirby), which don't appear forced.

With 123 minutes, the film does sag and drag frequently, which affects how taut the plot is in some areas. Theatrics are overdone at the finale, which pays homage to the movie within the movie, Stab. It could have used a little trimming because the climax is a little overly complicated. The tension is kept up until the very end, and when Ghostface's identity is revealed, one will be astonished but not particularly impressed.

Though not perfect, Scream VI is overall a better follow-up to the reboot. You wouldn't mind overlooking the flaws because the action and gore are delivered adequately. If you like blood and terror, you'll appreciate the ride.

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