Review of Scream VI (2023) by Soulwarfare — 28 Apr 2023

The previous film, Scream V, was surprisingly enjoyable. It came out 11 years after Scream 4 and it was the first to not be directed by Wes Craven. It felt like it shouldn't have worked, but it did! Now after a significantly smaller gap of just 1 year, we have another instalment in the Scream franchise. Does it continue to be a slashing entry or is this going to be the first to fall flat on its face?

Firstly, I love the change in setting for this film. Bringing the franchise out of Woodsboro made this a more interesting entry. We get to see Ghostface kill in the city and that leads to a lot of interesting set pieces. A memorable one was Ghostface hiding amongst other Halloween people on a subway. These scenes are incredibly tense and suspenseful. I also love how brutal this new Ghostface is. The way they stab their victims, hunt the main characters and hurt anyone in their way is unsettling. The opening scene was also a terrific way of subverting expectations. The mystery surrounding the new Ghostface is engaging and effective in its execution. Neve Campbell does not return as Sidney for the first time in the series due to a pay dispute which is a shame. However, I think the way her character is handled is done respectfully. Her absence leads to a focus on the characters from Scream V and it makes the film a lot better.

On that note, Melissa and Jenna return as Sam and Tara respectively from Scream V and I liked them more here. I liked how both characters handled the traumatic events in that film. Sam is very cautious and protective of her sister since the event but Tara just wants to move on. I especially enjoyed Sam's struggle with her inner darkness which was hinted at in the previous film. The surviving supporting cast from Scream V also has more depth this time with their friendship with Sam and Tara being more meaningful. Courteney Cox returns as Gale and despite being a small role, she has an enjoyable and tense scene with Ghostface. The biggest surprise was Hayden Panettiere returning as Kirby from Scream 4. The last we saw of her was her getting stabbed and bleeding out so it was a surprise to see her alive. I enjoyed seeing how she also changed since Scream 4. She is more hardened and resolved but unlike with Sidney, it's hard to tell if it is truly genuine or if she is Ghostface. Nevertheless, I do have some issues with it. My biggest is characters surviving fatal wounds. Some characters would get stabbed in the gut and leg but still have loads of energy to fight with no issues. You could argue that it is Adrenaline but it is kind of weird. Some characters survive getting stabbed dozens of times which is just plain ridiculous. It felt like they were scared to kill off characters. The story also relies on plot conveniences and incompetent cops. The Ghostface is hunting our main characters and none of the police think to stay with them. Once it is revealed who is Ghostface, their plan feels a bit ridiculous and also feels like it could have easily been uncovered if anyone from the police or FBI weren't dumb. Overall, Scream continues to deliver refreshing movies in the slasher genre. 6 movies in and there isn't a terrible movie in the franchise. I hope whatever future entry this franchise has, that continues to do something new and exciting.