Scream has always served as a commentary on the current state of the horror genre. Scream 1 touched on the state of slashers. Scream 2 focused on sequels and their tropes. Scream 3 did the same with trilogies and Scream 4 with reboots as well as the boom of “torture porn” movies like Saw, Hostel, and the Human Centipede. Scream 5 touched on the current trend of legacy sequels as well as “elevated horror” but where does that leave Scream 6?
Scream 6 follows Sam, Tara, Chad, and Mindy as they are in New York for school looking to move on from the massacre from the last movie. However, even in the Big Apple, they can’t outrun their past as they are met by a new Ghostface who is looking to make their lives hell. The movie takes place around Halloween and given the rise in popularity of the Ghostface mask, the group can never turn a corner without being reminded of its face.
Before going into the theater, I was wondering what current movie trend 6 could comment on. I thought there weren’t enough legacy sequel sequels to examine but I completely forgot the one overarching things that connect all these movies together: franchises. Each movie has reflected on its role within the Scream franchise but none has ever addressed the franchise as a whole. They have always brought up the rules of their installment and here is no different: legacy characters are not safe, the returning cast isn’t safe, and no one can be assumed innocent, not even the final girls. The setting must be much grander, the action has to be improved so audiences keep coming back and the stories have to become unpredictable to keep them guessing.
Scream 6 feels like a new launching point for the franchise. For starters, Sydney Prescott (played by Neve Campbell) is not in this movie. Rumors are that there were disputes over the contract which sucks given how much she’s given to this franchise. I do hope they are able to work to bring her back for Scream 7, which has already been greenlit, but I appreciate that it gave this movie the opportunity to focus on Sam and Tara instead of going back to Sydney. While I wish she got to do it her way, it really feels like the torch has been passed from one of the most incredible final girls ever to this next generation’s final girls. Again, I hope Campbell can come back and end Sydney’s story how she wants because she’s always done right by the franchise.
The dynamic between Barrera’s Sam and Ortega’s Tara felt really natural in Scream 5 and took the next step here in 6. Their shared trauma really helped make their relationship here much more understandable. Sam struggles not only with her past but like in Spider-Man No Way Home, has to deal with the public perception of her following the ending of the previous movie, which has been manipulated online. Her goals shift from wanting to be on her own to do whatever she has to to keep her sister safe. Meanwhile, Tara just wants to be able to move on and live her life, not letting what happened to define her. They both experienced the same tragedy but are impacted differently. Barrera and Ortega are great actresses and I could really feel their pain and other emotions in their performances.
The rest of the cast does incredibly well as well. Mason Gooding (Chad) and Jasmin Savoy Brown (Mindy) are back, and just like Barrera and Ortega, their chemistry as siblings is just great. Courtney Cox being back as Gale is always a pleasure to see. The movie makes note of it but with no Sydney and Dewey, she gets to shine as our OG here. Hayden Panettiere back as Kirby is awesome. I thought she had died back in Scream 4 but Wes Craven envisioned her having a bigger role in the franchise and I’m glad she was able to come back and leave her mark. As the main group of characters we care about, they did not fail at keeping me invested and on the edge of my seat throughout the movie. The new additions aren’t just forgettable meat bags, they definitely got me to care and I was invested in their fates, for better and worse.
As advertised, this movie is a much different Scream movie than its predecessors. Now taking place in New York instead of Woodsboro, the movie felt grittier and Ghostface truly felt the most menacing they’ve ever been. The creators were inspired by how Michael Myers was portrayed in the newest trilogy and used an aged mask that looked absolutely terrifying. Multiple masks are used/shown but seeing that aged mask created so much tension for me. The two scenes that were featured heavily in the trailers (the Subway and the Bodega) were the best examples of this as I legitimately was leaning forward in my seat, gripping the armrests until they ended. The action in this movie is incredible. The kills are absolutely brutal, and I loved it. There is not a single kill where I felt like they could’ve done more. There is one at the very end that might be one of my favorite visuals ever in a slasher.
The killers themselves were definitely strong but a little predictable. As the 6th entry in the franchise, you can pick up certain trends that make it easy to predict who will be pulling off the mask and giving a monologue. The movie knows it and has Mindy make her own predictions as to who it is but just because the movie pokes fun at it, doesn’t mean it has to keep happening. No spoilers here but if you know the franchise, there’s a good chance you’ll know who it is by the end. The killers’ motivations aren’t unique to the franchise by any means but I thought this movie had a good spin to it. This might be me nitpicking, but I don’t like that the killers act normal 95% of the movie but once their revealed, they just go overboard trying to be as emphatic as Stu Macher was in the original. It was great then because Matthew Lillard sold it the entire time, not just once he was revealed but now it’s just overplayed.
Final Thoughts
Scream has been one of my favorite movie franchises ever. When Wes Craven (the father of this and other horror franchises) passed away in 2015, I had hoped that this franchise would wrap up and be the final piece to his legacy. Radio Silence Productions came in with Scream 5 and have done their absolute best to honor Wes and this franchise. This is a great movie, a great addition to the Scream legacy, and I cannot wait to see what comes next for everyone involved.
