Scream VI

Scream VI clearly still displays the love for the franchise that last year's Scream (the fifth installment) had in droves, but if things don't seem to be quite as solid as last time, it's only due to the obviously rushed production schedule this film had.  Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpen and Tyler Gillett, along with returning screenwriters James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick, clearly didn't have as much time to think this one out, and it shows.

I still had fun watching this, and I'm recommending it, but I hope they take a bit more time with the inevitable Scream VII.  However, given the box office weekend numbers, I'm sure Paramount will have a sequel greenlit before most people have had breakfast on Monday morning.  I do admire how much the people behind these current films seem to respect the original vision of director Wes Craven and previous writer Kevin Williamson.  Not only that, but they were working with an added difficulty this time around in that series lead, Neve Campbell, would not be returning, due to contract negotiation issues with the studio.  Her character's absence does get a brief passing notice in a line of dialogue, and given the circumstances, the filmmakers handle her not being here well.  I'm sure they will be working on bringing her back in a future entry, but at least they handle not having her well.

Scream VI more or less is a direct continuation of the last one, which basically means don't think about walking into the cinema without rewatching what happened before.  That's also one of the big issues I had with the film.  The thing I admired the most about last year's movie is that it added a timely satirical element by taking aim at toxic fan communities in film and the obsession that seemingly grows with certain people when legacy film franchises get rebooted, or taken in a different direction.  Since this sequel is a direct continuation, it basically covers the exact same ground all over again, and feels overly familiar.  The energy of the cast, the suspense, and the moments of humor are still present, but it can't help but feel like a bit of a retread, given the crew didn't have as much time with this entry.

We're reunited with our new heroines, sisters Sam (Melissa Barrera) and Tara Carpenter. (Jenny Ortega, who is racking up quite a reputation as a "Scream Queen", having appeared in six horror-related projects since 2020.) After the events last time, they have decided to get out of the fictional and deadly town of Woodsboro, and move to New York City along with their surviving friends.  Tara wants your usual college experience of making bad choices, while finding out who you are at the same time.  Sam, meanwhile, is still haunted by what happened before, as well as by her personal history, as she still gets visits from a ghostly vision of her illegitimate father, Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich), one of the men who started this whole Ghostface Killer business back in 1996.  Naturally, they are not safe for long, as a new set of psychos have shown up to torment them as the notorious Ghostface, whose threatening voice over the phone is once again provided by Roger L. Jackson.

The movie gives us a new group of suspects, mainly made up out of Tara and Sam's friends in the city.  One of the issues I had with last year's Scream is that the young suspects were a bit weak and obvious, and this trend continues here.  Luckily, the cast is strong and energetic enough to make them appealing, even if they're not as interesting as I would like.  Also added to the cast is a trio of adults, including the ever-present Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox), who is given less to do here than before, as well as a hardened police detective (Dermot Mulroney) investigating the new sets of murders.  He's partnered up with Kirby Reed (Hayden Penettiere), who was one of the young potential victims in 2011's Scream 4, and has grown up to be an FBI agent still haunted by her past experience.  Like last time, the movie does its best to throw us off the course of guessing who the killer is, but it's fairly obvious at some point in the film.

The problem here is that the ultimate reveal and motive for the murders doesn't quite stick the landing.  Obviously, I can't go into any detail, but it just seems a bit of a disappointment after the last movie cleverly went after toxic fans who get too involved in their favorite franchises, and act as "protectors".  That said, despite the familiarity of the concept and the somewhat disappointing conclusion, there is still lots to admire here.  I particularly liked the opening sequence, which cleverly sets up a string of murders to kick off this new Ghostface spree in a way I did not expect and was a lot of fun.  And even if the filmmakers were forced to crank this one out rapidly, they have not lost any of their visual flare or their obvious love for these characters and the series itself.  There's just a few more stumbles this time, and I blame the rushed production schedule for that.

Scream VI shows there's still plenty of life (and death) on display, but I really am hoping this doesn't become an annual deal, as I don't want to see this franchise get worn down by corporate greed.  I say unless they come up with a really great idea, leave the fans waiting for the seventh entry just a bit longer. 

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