Scream

Scream? Not Scream 5? No? Just Scream? Jesus they aren't even trying are they. This opening scene definitely looks familiar. LOL, kids don't answer phone calls anymore. Ah here she's toying with the knife just like Drew did. This all seems very familiar.....ufff, that's kinda vicious. Wow, no one expected that outcome. Maybe there's a bit of life left in this horror franchise yet.

Yes. Horror.  Not elevated horror. Because fuck that term. 3 minutes into the film that horrible, eye-rolling term is invoked in a way that will instantly raise hackles in the audience. Oh god, we'd forgotten how people talked about horror movies in Scream. Oh no, memories of that cringeworthy film class scene in Scream 2 are rushing back to slap us in the face. Is Scream (grrr let's called it Scream 5 or 5cream) going to change tact? Is it going to drop the slasher movie element and inject a load of social commentary into the story to change things up? Is this why the Babadook keeps being mentioned? Is this why.......... FUCK, right through the hand!!! No, we're safe.

Ghostface is back and the town of Woodsboro is trembling. Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega) has been brutally attacked in her own home and her sister Sam (Melissa Barrera) is rushing across America to figure out what happened, dragging her boyfriend Richie (Jack Quaid, great fun) behind her. Sam got out of dodge years before because Woodsboro and it's former residents have a strange kind of hold over her and now that she's back she gets in touch with former Sheriff Dewey Reilly (David Arquette, as always the soul of the film) for help. Ghostface has been a part of his life for 25 years and he has an idea of how things are going to go so he reaches out to Sydney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) to warn them both to be ready.

The first Scream film made since Wes Craven passed away in 2015 is better than 50% of the Scream films he directed. It is most definitely in thrall to the original but the injection of new blood gives it a zing that's been missing since Sydney crawled over body of an unconscious Ghosface back in 1997 and we all nearly passed out holding our breath. The influx of new characters keeps it fresh and adds some much needed diversity but let's be honest, we're here for the O.G.'s, we want to see how things are with Sydney, Dewey and Gale. They've moved on, and have tried to leave their bloody past behind. The nostalgia is strong as they slowly trickle back into the narrative and some of you will definitely get moist eyed when Dewey's theme kicks in and you'll start to stress as our faves find themselves in danger again because this year's Ghostface is a brutal chap (or chapette, who knows?) and the killings have a particularly visceral edge to them this time around. This is a film that really earns it's 18 certificate.....the neck bit.....oh man that one will rattle your cage for sure.

Of course we get yet another "rules of horror" scene this time around too and it's here you'll really have to grin and bear it but at this stage it's part of the franchise DNA. It even gives us a cameo from the much derided Scream 3. It's meta. It's too meta. It's meta². Mary Sue's get a nod. Fan fiction. There's even a Stab blu-ray! It's a scene that plays up to horror fandom and gently mocks it at the same time and then the exceedingly bloody finale doubles down on all that's been said in a way that will set certain Reddit forums ablaze. The finale also picks up on a plot thread from earlier in the film that feels undeveloped and forgotten and uses it to immensely satisfying effect. So satisfying in fact that afterwards you'll think to yourself "I probably should not have enjoyed that so much."

"I probably should not have enjoyed that so much." Change that to "I didn't think I'd enjoy that so much" and that will be the general consensus on the latest Scream film. The end credits are proceeded by a title card that simply says "For Wes" and you feel he'd definitely give it his seal of approval. 

Scream is in cinemas everywhere now. It's good.