11 years after the last instalment the fifth outing from the Scream
franchise hits the screens and fans won’t be disappointed. Sticking firmly
to the formula that made the previous four films so enjoyable and
successful Scream 2022 feels, much like the recent Ghostbusters: Afterlife,
like the welcome return of an old friend. And with Screams mix of the old
cast and new young additions it also feels pretty similar to the
aforementioned Ghostbusters Afterlife.
For those familiar with previous Scream films the plot will come as no
surprise Ghostface is back in Woodsboro where he’s stabbing and slashing to
death the town’s teenagers. The first person in Ghostface’s sites is young
Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega), after she survives the attack her sister
Sam, who she hasn’t seen for a number of years and who might or might not
have a dark secret to hide, returns to Woodsboro in order to protect her
sister from Ghostface who she believes will return to finish the job.
Looking for help Sam and her boyfriend (Jack Quaid, son of Dennis) approach
Dewey Riley (David Arquette), who is now a bit of a recluse and separated
from Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox), for help. Reluctant at first to help,
he eventually joins up with them after the bodies start to pile up.
It’ll come as no surprise to anyone, especially if you’ve seen the
trailers, that both Courteney Cox and Neve Campbell reprise their roles
from the previous films.
Scream is a lot of fun and like the previous films, doesn’t take itself too
seriously and is only too happy to poke fun at the nonsense that’s
unfolding before us.
It would be too easy to say that Scream (2022) is just a remake of the
original (1996), the cast even debate when is a sequel a reboot and when is
it not, but, in fairness, every one of the previous three films that came
after the original have all been pretty much reboots, the Scream films have
a recipe and they pretty much stick to it.
If there is one complaint , the original films director Wes Craven sadly
died in 2015, new directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett stretch
the final act, where the killer is revealed, out a bit longer than is
necessary, but that’s a small complaint as besides this Scream is a hugely
enjoyable entry in the apparently, hopefully, never ending Scream franchise.
