When it arrived in 1996, Scream gave the horror genre a much need shot in the arm. The original took the slasher genre and made it relevant again by layering a healthy dose of self-awareness. The big change was that characters knew the films that had come before and could wittily discuss the ins-and-outs of the horror genre. It was refreshing and immediately altered the genre tropes (although not quite permanently). Plus it took ownership of the question ‘what is your favourite scary movie?’
26 year later, the franchise has reached its fifth instalment (also called Scream) and the first to be made in the absence of genre titan Wes Craven. In the near three decades since the original, the horror genre has changed and evolved. Now when the same question as before is asked in the opening it leads to a discussion of elevated horror, the term bestowed upon classy affairs that spend as much time deconstructing all too human issues as they do exploring more supernatural frights. Horror now has to mean something, be talking about something beyond the monsters on screen. Grief, trauma, racism, ageing – you name it these are now the real demons. So how does the Scream franchise stay relevant?
By producing one of the most enjoyable cinematic rides in recent years.
This latest slasher (confidentially directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett – the duo behind Ready or Not) is a lean, mean affair that gives fans exactly what they want, whilst also gently reprimanding them for coming back for another slice of well-staged violence. Once again there’s a killer (or killers) on the loose in the small American town of Woodsboro, and once again a group of teenagers face death one-by-one as the film weaves towards its big reveal (there’s as much Agatha Christie as Michael Myers to the Scream franchise).
If you’re coming to this film, you probably know how this all works. And this new instalment relies upon this, both in its violent set pieces (which are oodles of fun) and in the personal drama that unfolds in-between. For the unitiated these will leave them cold. But it’s OK, because there’s always a stabbing round the corner.
The returning cast (Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette) fit comfortable back into their parts, whilst the newcomers all get moments to shine. There’s particular scene stealing work from Jasmin Savoy Brown and Jack Quaid but everyone is at the top of their game here. As technically impressive as this new Scream is, it is the performances that make this such an endearing watch.
This is perhaps the most fun one can have with this franchise since the original. We’re now so far removed from that point, so expectant of sequels that disappoint (one need only cast their mind back to the messy disappointment of Scream 3 to see this) that this legacy sequel (or requel) proves particularly effective. It won’t reinvent the genre but few horrors can do this. Instead, you’ll come out with a broad smile and a hope that maybe we’ll get another mini-boom of slashers to sink our teeth into.