Scream 7: Ghostly Growl or Shallow Shriek?

Sharpening the Knife

An anonymous caller is on the phone, and they want to talk about their favorite scary movies. That can only mean one thing: an iconic horror franchise has returned to the big screen just in time for a massive milestone! Scream 7, as the title implies, is the seventh film in the beloved Scream franchise, which has been running strong since 1996. In fact, this movie’s release comes just in time for the series’s 30th anniversary, a massive accomplishment that not many ongoing horror franchises see. But despite Scream’s accomplishments in how far it has come, its latest installment has seen a flurry of difficulties in getting to the big screen.

This movie was hit with a number of obstacles before its release, including a creative overhaul with a change in director and script rewrites, along with the controversial firing of Melissa Barrera and departure of Jenna Ortega – the lead actresses of the previous two installments who were initially set to star in this one. That said, a steady stream of hype has surrounded the film in the recent months leading up to its release on February 27, indicating a promising continuation of the franchise. But despite earning $64 million in its opening weekend, a new record for the series, it has earned predominantly negative reviews from critics, with some even calling it the worst film of the entire lot. 

Even with all the concerns leading up to this movie, I still wanted to give it a fair shot, especially given my love of the Scream franchise. Not only does the first film rank among my favorite horror movies of all time, but I also found myself really enjoying most of the sequels, to the point where I believe that Scream is one of the most consistently enjoyable franchises in the entire horror genre. As such, I went into this film hoping it would continue this steady stream of quality, and at least make for a fun time at the movies. 

Optimistically, I headed to Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Mansfield and attended a screening of the film on Saturday, Feb. 28, joined by staff writers Nick Storms, Carlee Nigro, and Sami Swayze. As the film came to a close, I was left with one question: did this movie let out an impactful yell which continued the series’s hot streak, or was it nothing more than a whimper in the grand scheme of its predecessors?

Accepting the Call

Set shortly after the events of the sixth film, Scream 7 focuses on series protagonist Sidney Prescott, who has moved to the quiet town of Pine Grove, Indiana, to start a new life with her family after years of trauma due to frequent targeted attacks. But one day, she receives an ominous call from a new Ghostface – an identity assumed by individuals who seek to kill her – who threatens her and her daughter, Tatum, as a new spree of murders begins. With Ghostface on the loose and her family’s lives on the line, Prescott is forced back into action – with companions old and new – to unmask the culprit and end their reign once and for all.

Directed by Kevin Williamson, who has been with the series since its very beginning, the film features an ensemble cast including Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Isabel May, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Mckenna Grace, Anna Camp, and Joel McHale, among many others. 

Despite all of the negative press surrounding this movie, I actually found myself having a really fun time watching it. Make no mistake, it’s certainly not without its faults, but it’s still quite serviceable in what it presents. This is highlighted in the movie’s story, which takes the core concepts of the Scream franchise and utilizes them in its own unique way. This film brings the franchise back to its roots, putting Prescott in the role of the main protagonist as she desperately tries to hunt down a dangerous masked assailant. But in addition to this classic formula, it also introduces a particular level of stakes to make the conflict feel more personal.

These stakes come in the form of introducing Prescott’s family into the plot, with her daughter Tatum and husband Mark Evans serving as a primary target of Ghostface’s threats. Throughout the runtime, a strong dynamic builds between the family, with each person sporting their own unique thought process in how they communicate with Prescott and react to Ghostface’s calls. It leads to a fascinating internal conflict, especially in the relationship between Prescott and Tatum, as the latter yearns to be a fighter and learn more about her mother’s past, while the former prioritizes her family’s safety as she begins to question her own mentality. 

This side conflict is developed decently throughout the movie – especially once Ghostface begins wreaking havoc in the second half – as the two share relatable dialogue and a strong range of emotions to help their bond feel more realistic than contrived.

Further helping the film to thrive is the atmosphere, which is well-crafted in how it stays true to the franchise’s core formula. Namely, it balances out its scares and high intensity with occasional humor and meta commentary, discussing the impact of horror movies and how their formulas change over time. As a result, the film finds a solid balance in its tone between scary and self-aware, acknowledging the stakes of the situation while still taking them seriously. 

Admittedly, the formula does feel a little bit repetitive due to some recycled plot points and commentary from previous installments. However, the movie still finds ways to keep its tone engaging, especially in its mixture of family drama and intense horror.

The latter is additionally benefitted by incredible practical effects. Surprisingly, this is a very gory movie, with a lot of creative death scenes and often gnarly payoffs courtesy of Ghostface’s intricate thinking and quick action. From the moment the film begins, it establishes that it is not playing around, with a creative opening scene that serves as one of the film’s most intense. 

As the film progresses, it continues to experiment with its blood and gore, utilizing creative setpieces to keep viewers on edge in wondering how Ghostface may attack next, ranging from a malfunctioning rigging system – which leaves someone trapped in the air by a harness – to an empty bar. The Scream franchise has always been full of uncomfortable imagery, but this film utilizes practical effects to its advantage, resulting in arguably the bloodiest installment of the series to date.

Everybody’s a Suspect

One of the most consistent aspects of the entire Scream franchise has always been its characters, with each installment featuring a massive ensemble with distinct personalities and vibrant energies. But in this film, aside from the main protagonists, they actually served as one of the weakest aspects. Not because they were performed badly by their actors, but because they didn’t really do much to get me to gravitate towards them. Rather than spend most of the runtime with the supporting ensemble to build some sort of bond or connection, they are frequently sidelined until the film calls for them to look suspicious for the sake of the plot’s whodunnit aspect.

The problem with this approach is that it doesn’t allow for any of the characters to build any sort of distinct personality, with most of them feeling more like red herrings who are just there for filler’s sake, and to add to the overall kill count. They mainly rely on standard character tropes with extremely barebones development, including a horror geek who views Prescott as a celebrity and Tatum’s mysterious boyfriend, who seeks approval. When compared to the supporting cast of the previous films, who all had some sort of high energy or emotional depth, most of the characters ultimately did nothing for me other than Prescott and Tatum.

The characters from prior installments also get sadly sidelined, leaving very little impact on the overall plot. For example, Gooding and Brown reprise their roles as Chad and Mindy Meeks-Martin, two movie-loving siblings who survived the events of the fifth and sixth Scream films. Here, their characters get practically no time to shine and are mainly just there for the sake of the cast, to the point where I’m convinced they could’ve been cut out of the film entirely, and nothing would’ve changed. 

Even Gale Weathers – one of the franchise’s tentpole characters – gets almost nothing to work with. Though she does have a few moments where she shines, including the scene where her character is introduced, she doesn’t get very much to do throughout the runtime; her character being completely absent from the third act despite the trailers promoting that she would have a bigger role. 

However, I do not fault the actors for this wasted potential, as they all do a very solid job with what they are given. Every performer, especially the main protagonists, has a unique flair which helps their characters to stand out in some regard. Namely, I loved Campbell’s return to the character of Prescott – who is equal parts rebellious and cautious – and May’s more naive and curious portrayal of Tatum, with their two personalities meshing together expertly in their shared scenes. I’ll even say, despite the limits in what their characters are able to do, the legacy characters are also performed very well, with Cox providing a stern no-nonsense approach to Weathers and Gooding and Brown providing a decent amount of humor as the Meeks-Martin siblings. 

Every performer in this movie tries their best with what they’re given, but unfortunately, the writing greatly impacts their overall standing, resulting in one of the franchise’s most forgettable and one-note ensembles.

Beyond the Mask

Though the movie is absolutely not without its issues, I cannot deny that there is still a lot of talent involved here. In fact, I’d even say that this is a well-directed feature, as there is a clear vision for it which is prominent throughout the runtime. The film’s director, Williamson, has been with this franchise since its start, having served as a writer on the first, second, and fourth installments, as well as a producer on the rest of them. 

His care for the franchise does shine through the screen on many occasions, especially in how well-crafted many of the sequences turned out. Whether it be a group of characters bonding in a tavern, a tense race against time to catch up to the killers, or an intense chase sequence through the walls of a house, Williamson utilizes a variety of creative concepts throughout this movie, further helping it to stay true to its roots while still building its own sort of identity.

That said, some of these concepts felt a bit odd when compared to the rest of the franchise, especially in how they pay off. Without spoiling too much, I will say that the film implements artificial intelligence (AI) into its plot in some capacity, specifically in building a mystery surrounding the true identity of Ghostface. 

This is a subplot that both fascinated and frustrated me. On one hand, this is something completely new for the franchise, and it’s fittingly relevant given the current status of AI in today’s society. But at the same time, I’m not quite sure if it worked with what the movie was trying to set up, especially when all is revealed in the third act, which makes it feel more random in how it was utilized rather than provide any sort of impactful commentary on it. 

Speaking of the third act, this area is also where the movie’s biggest issues came into play, primarily in regards to its writing. Not only do certain creative decisions occur which feel more like contrived plot conveniences, but the final reveal ultimately fails to leave any sort of impact. I won’t spoil what specifically happens, but let’s just say that when Ghostface’s true identity was revealed, everyone in the audience was left scratching their heads in confusion rather than feeling any sort of shock. It feels insignificant when compared to the plot twists and reveals of the previous films, which felt more thought out and justified, compared to this one, where it feels more like they ran out of ideas. 

Furthermore, when the antagonists reveal their true motivation and why they committed these crimes, it just felt all the more random rather than meaningful. The core of a good Scream villain is that the character in question needs to have some type of clear motivation and strong connection to the protagonist, two aspects which the Ghostface in this movie sadly lacks. As such, they suffer the same problem that the rest of the supporting cast deals with, having very little to stand out and lacking a distinctive personality. 

I wish the film implemented more scenes of the antagonists in question with Prescott, so a proper connection could build between them and their payoff would feel more justified. But alas, I’d be lying if I said the final reveal of this movie blew my mind and will stick with me, even though the final fight which follows was a high point of the film’s entertainment.

Hanging Up

Overall, despite its unremarkable supporting characters, questionable handling of certain concepts, and underwhelming final twist, Scream 7 cements itself as an underrated slasher film thanks to its committed performances, well-balanced atmosphere, creative direction, and impeccable practical effects. Though it is weaker than many of its predecessors, this movie still builds enough of its own identity through a variety of creative ideas which make it a welcome addition to the series.

If you’re a fan of the Scream franchise, the horror genre, or films with a meta sense of humor, you’ll find a lot of enjoyment in this movie. Scream 7 is currently playing in thousands of theaters across the country, including locally at Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Mansfield. If you want to see one of the biggest modern horror icons return to the silver screen in a standard but fun way, you will be delighted by this flick.

It may be a far cry from other installments in the franchise, but as far as slasher movies go, this is a solid feature with just enough of a sharp edge to make it a cut above other recent horror films.

My Rating