Scream 7 – Movie Review
Putting aside any of the off-screen controversies that have followed Scream 7 throughout its production (and remembering the Neve Campbell payment issues that arose during Scream 6), the lead up to the latest installment of arguably one of the most influential horror franchises of the last three decades seemed oddly lacklustre. Unfortunately, the final product seems to be a disappointing reflection of that, resulting in possibly the worst entry into the series so far.
Original Scream scribe Kevin Williamson returns to the franchise, this time in the directors chair, taking the slasher action once again out of Woodsboro and into the small, suburban town of Pine Grove, where Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) has finally seemed to outrun the demon that has followed her since she was a teenager – the masked killer Ghostface.
Living with her cop husband (Joel McHale) and daughter, Tatum (Isabel May), Sidney’s new worries in life lie with balancing the line between being a protective mother to her daughter (who very much so has the strong-willed personality of her mother at that age) and letting Tatum have the chance to live a life as a free young woman in the way she never did. But, when a haunting, thought-to-be-dead presence returns into Sidney’s life, the small town of Pine Grove serves as the hunting ground for a new Ghostface – one who has their eyes on Tatum.
Right from the as-to-be-expected cold open, which is set in Stu Macher’s old Woodsboro house (now an Air-BNB/Stab experience home for fans of the in-film franchise), Scream 7 lies its narrative wholly on the foundations of the movies that have come before it, playing out more like a look-back to the greatest hits of the franchise rather than an exciting continuation (or re-quel) like the other entries of this new Scream era did in the previous two films. The film suffers because of this, as it feels like a dull rehashing of elements that have been presented before without the fun, meta-textual aspects that have been such a staple of the franchise. Even the kills feel like some of the most lacklustre (only two set-pieces standing out in a film with a lot of murder), revealing in a way the least motivated and scrappiest Ghostface that Sidney has come across.
Where Scream 7 tries to differentiate a little bit from the formula is by interweaving a more heartfelt narrative about the relationship between Sidney and Tatum. It’s in these moments where the story really slows down and patiently explores their dynamic, which is loving but taught with the tensions of Sidney’s past. It’s here where Campbell really gets to dig into the weeds of Sidney as a character – one who has had a three-decade arc to confront her traumas. It’s undoubtedly the best Campbell has ever been on screen as Sidney “the person”, rather than Sidney “the horror heroine”. Unfortunately, Isabel May doesn’t get a chance to reach that same level of emotional depth in these moments, leaving a bit more of a jumbled tone that then clashes with the horror elements.
When the film jumps back into the horror roots, its sole focus on fan service hits and misses. It works with the actor (who I won’t reveal here for those who don’t wish for it to be spoiled, despite its unmissable presence online) who returns as an iconic character, completely chewing up every scene they’re featured in. And it really works in the exciting heroes return of Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox), Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown), and Chad (Mason Gooding), which is a genuinely applaud worthy moment. However, the addition of a plethora of new characters only adds to the revolving door of victims for Ghostface, giving them no substance to latch on to, leading to no care being given when they eventually meet their demise (which does occasionally and sinfully occur off-screen, a horror no-no).
As most Scream films do, everything hinges on the final reveal of the Ghostface killer. Scream 7 puts its final nail in the disappointment coffin with the most left-field and underwhelming reveal that almost feels like a copy/paste of another Scream films reveal, pointing out the laziness of this overall filmmaking effort.
Scream 7 is sadly the weakest entry into the series yet, forgoing even the most fun elements of some of the previous films that weren’t as strong to the point where it’s not even entertaining to watch. It’s a dull experience that takes itself too seriously, with a head-scratching Ghostface reveal that just caps off an already disappointing time at the movies.
Scream 7 is in Australian cinemas February 26
