It doesn’t seem that long ago when I was reviewing the fifth film in the Scream franchise. It was just over a year ago when we were reintroduced to the Woodsboro community and the infamous killings that haunt the small American town. Described as a re-quel, which is shorthand for reboot-sequel, the fifth film managed to bring back some classic characters while introducing new ones and together they all had to solve a new mystery behind the latest Ghostface killings. It felt relevant, meta and subverted a lot of slasher genre tropes. So now that we have a sixth entry it does beg the question as to whether we need anymore sequels. The question is a big resounding yes, as it is one of the best horror franchises of this century.
Scream VI picks up where the last film left off, with the four young survivors of the Woodsboro stabbings now living in New York but the shadow of their past looms large over their lives as they’re recognised for the tragedy that befell Woodsboro. Melissa Barrera's character, Sam Carpenter, is the driving force for this new narrative as she is directly related to a previous killer in the franchise. Not only that but we have another returning character in the form of Hayden Panettiere’s Kirby Reed, who is now an FBI agent. As well as those we also have new faces like New York Police Detective, Wayne Bailey played by Dermot Mulroney, and fresh young faces who could serve as potential victims or suspects as some new Ghostface stabbings take place. The story smartly weaves in and out of each character, and we never know who to trust which is part of the genius of this franchise, and once the film starts the momentum keeps going and the tension stays with you from start to finish.
The biggest question I had going into this film was, is this film relevant? By that I mean do we need this sequel and will it offer anything new. The answer is another yes, it subverts the genre even more as the script writers know that this universe enjoys its self-referential nature, and they play with that big time. By the time the reveal comes at the end we have had enough set up and enough story where the reveal is genuinely shocking and surprising but more importantly it makes sense. Scream VI isn’t forcing a new story, instead it is continuing previous ones and that makes this film much more enjoyable for fans. Even if you’re not a fan of the series, you will still enjoy the film as the story does give you context behind the lead characters and the legacy characters and how they’re all connected to each other. Not just that but there are also plenty of easter eggs for hardcore fans to pick up on as the film flies by.
It’s not just the story that’s great but the acting is on top form too. Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera are fully committed to their characters, and their arcs go through an almost PTSD style story where they still haven’t gone through the trauma they both shared together, and they have yet to move on from the incidents in Woodsboro. By moving the setting to New York we are also witnessed to some new, fresh and creative killing ideas where the characters are constantly stalked and literally no-where is safe for them. Each death and each stabbing feels just as surprising and shocking as ones in the previous entries. It helps that the filmmakers involved in this film are huge fans of the series and they respect it and its legacy and honours the history of it too.
There’s hardly any flaws to pick up on except maybe the pacing can feel a little off in places. The characters are constantly explaining their alibi’s and proving their innocence every time they enter a scene and even though this is necessary to the plot, it does slow the film down a bit and it’s a long film too so it does drag especially towards the middle, but it is too much fun to watch and the story is too enjoyable for this to be too much of an issue. That being said, Scream VI achieves what it sets out to do in fun and creative ways.
★★★★☆
4/5
Final Verdict:
Scream VI is a great sequel and a great slasher film. This franchise continues to be the one to beat and it helps that this is the franchise which re-popularised the slasher genre back in the 90s, and without it we wouldn’t have had the latest Halloween films or other films of the same ilk. All the characters, both new and old, all give it their all with this film and you will have a favourite to root for and you better watch out because any one of them could be a victim, especially with the suspect hiding in plain sight. The joy of seeing the film come full circle is satisfying but also makes you hungry for more. Let’s hope the Scream franchise continues down this direction in the future with more grim and bloody deaths.
Thanks for reading today’s blog!
Alex Murray, the Head of Eyesight Productions
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