This review contains spoilers.
In hindsight, maybe it wasn’t such a good idea for the producers of ‘Scream VI’ to lowball Neve Campbell. She is the heart and soul of this series, and her absence is keenly felt in this slickly made, brutally violent, but ultimately tired and hollow sequel to 2022s hugely successful franchise reboot – a film I really enjoyed.
The survivors of the latest Woodsboro massacre, sisters Sam (Melissa Barrera) and Tara (Jenna Ortega) have now moved to New York, and taken the twins, Chad (Mason Gooding) and Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown) with them. They are doing their best to put the past behind them, in healthy ways like Sam seeing a therapist, and in less healthy ways, like Tara trying to kill her trauma with booze and partying.
Unfortunately for them, the events of the previous year won’t leave them alone. A social media conspiracy theory that Sam was the mastermind of the last murder spree is spreading like wildfire. When a new (or maybe old?) Ghostface takes Manhattan and the bodies start piling up, with clues from all five previous movies being left at the murder scenes in a never-ending parade of callbacks, Sam becomes suspect number one.
Barring a terrific sequence on a subway train on Halloween (with Ghostface masks everywhere) the film never really lives up to the opening scene, which does something clever and inventive, and briefly threatens us with the prospect of a new and interesting addition to the Scream saga. Unfortunately, it doesn’t pan out that way, and we instead get two and bit hours of mildly diverting chase and kill scenes. However, what used to be thrilling, tense, and funny in the hands of Wes Craven, these scenes are now just furiously violent and bloody, but not in any way that feels impactful.
Overall, it’s enjoyable enough for what it is, and I suspect die-hard fans of the Scream movies will be delighted. In keeping with franchise tradition, ‘Scream VI’ takes us on the most meta of meta journeys, in an attempt to tie this into the rules of horror movies. However, when you’re making the rules up to fit your movie (there are not, and never have been rules to surviving the second film in a rebooted franchise) it doesn’t really work.
Where the film truly sinks however is that there are no stakes whatsoever. I get that the “core four” characters are fun to hang out with, but if there’s absolutely no chance of them dying, then what is the point? The filmmakers have made a slasher film that is cowardly when it comes to delivering a death that might actually matter. In my review of the previous film, I referred to the new crop of characters as largely disposable. Evidently, I could not have been more wrong.
‘Scream VI’ has the feel of a movie that was made by a focus group. “Don’t kill anyone we like please. Sure, you can mangle them and disembowel them, but please make sure they are walking, or at least still breathing by the end of the film. No matter how ludicrous that might be.” Honestly, does being stabbed forty times in the torso mean nothing anymore?
The Blu-ray disc comes with a filmmakers commentary, and over an hour of behind-the-scenes featurettes and interviews to dive into. All the main players from behind and in front of the camera are featured. A particular highlight is ‘The Night Train to Terror’ deconstructing the brilliant subway sequence, which is by far the best scene in the film.
Cast: Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Mason Gooding, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Courteney Cox Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett Writer: James Vanderbilt & Guy Busick Released By: Paramount Home Entertainment Certificate: 18 Duration: 123 mins Release Date: 10 July 2023
