By [ad_1]
There are lots of horror franchises that have left their mark on the genre, but Scream has helped push horror movies forward in pivotal ways. Wes Craven’s Scream was essential for the rejuvenation of slasher films and there have been countless imitators that attempted to capture the magic of the original movie. Scream’s sequels have an impressive track record and they continue to explore the movie’s meta-commentary on the horror genre.
2022’s Scream is the fifth entry in the series and it takes an approach that plays with the movie industry’s obsession with reboots and legacy sequels, while it also solidifies its status as the superlative Scream sequel.
It should be understood that this list will be heavy with spoilers for 2022’s Scream.
10 The New Cast Rises To The Occasion
Each Scream sequel introduces a number of new characters alongside Sidney, Gale, Dewey, and whoever else has survived. 2022’s Scream features the biggest influx of new characters and the franchise’s “legacy cast” are much more of a supporting cast. Sidney doesn’t even show up until more than 30 minutes into the movie. The Scream movies have been good talent incubators, but Jenna Ortega, Jack Quaid, Mason Gooding, and Jasmin Savoy-Brown are all exceptional as their new characters. It’s easy to imagine many of these actors anchoring more sequels as Sidney and Gale take a backseat.
9 The Return Of Billy Loomis
Each Scream sequel has featured echoes of past characters in important ways, but a major departure in 2022’s Scream is that Melissa Barrera’s Samantha Carpenter begins to have delusional visions of Billy Loomis. Sam is Billy’s illegitimate daughter and she’s haunted by his taunting image and the fear that she’s also destined to become a serial killer. This heightened element isn’t for everyone, but it’s a compelling idea to explore via Sam in future sequels, and seeing Skeet Ulrich again doesn’t hurt.
8 Its Criticism Of Elevated Horror
The Scream franchise has always had its fingers on the pulse of the horror genre as a whole. The sequels have done an effective job with their subversive deconstructions of horror sequels, remakes, and franchise fatigue. Scream 4 gets in some jabs at the torture-centric horror that Saw and Hostel ushered in and 2022’s Scream extends that idea to poke fun at the “elevated horror” that’s dominated the genre.
The new Scream makes references to The Babadook, Jordan Peele’s films, and the general catalog of A24. 2022’s Scream doesn’t lament this brand of horror, but merely observes that “Stab” and Scream are something different.
7 Its Use Of The Stab Franchise As A Parallel
One of the Scream franchise’s secret weapons is the growing legacy of “Stab” films that allow the movies to get even more reflexive with their material. Scream 4 has an iconic introduction that shuffles through “Stab” sequels, but 2022’s Scream actively uses footage from these films to function as a mirror for its characters. The new Scream is full of “Stab” trivia and it leans into the decreasing quality of this fictional franchise as a springboard for its horror. It’s a clever idea that feels like the proper evolution of the previous films’ meta-commentary via the “Stab” movies.
6 The Jump Scare Fakeout Scene
Another one of Scream’s assets is that it assumes that the audience is generally savvy about the mechanics of horror films and that they’re as aware of “the rules” as the characters in the films. 2022’s Scream plays with the audience’s understanding of horror with a very smart sequence that revolves around Dylan Minnette’s Wes Hicks. Wes opens a series of doors and cabinets in a way that conditions the audience for jump scares when these doors are closed. Scream holds back and doesn’t indulge here, but the absence of scares practically becomes a joke in and of itself.
5 The Motivation Of The Killers
The Scream movies are all whodunnits and it’s a lot of fun to predict the identity of the killers and their motivations. A shoddy motivation can ruin the entire movie and 2022’s Scream develops very prescient and self-aware reasons that fuel the film’s murder spree.
The killers are driven by a general resentment of the direction of the “Stab” franchise and the murders are inspired by entitlement and toxic fandom. This may seem silly to some, but Scream is a franchise that people have such a personal connection with that it’s a valid, accurate turn of events.
4 The Brutality Of Ghostface
The Scream movies have always been a home for some visceral violence and Ghostface’s weapon of choice, a large knife, naturally leads to messy murders. Most of the Scream sequels have some brutal set pieces, but none get even close to the level of mayhem that’s in 2022’s Scream. This is arguably the first time that Ghostface has actually felt intimidating and the killings can be hard to watch. There are some excellent prosthetic effects that allow an unprecedented level of violence as knives go through cheeks and the camera lingers on the carnage.
3 It Features The Best Use Of Dewey Riley
An advantage of the Scream franchise is that it doesn’t reset the slate with each new movie and so the returning characters actually get to carry the weight of the past films and develop in compelling ways. Sidney and Gale go through a tremendous amount, but in 2022’s Scream it’s David Arquette’s Dewey Riley that experiences the biggest character arc. Previous Scream sequels have always leaned into the dopier aspect of Dewey’s character, but this new Scream begins with him at his lowest point and culminates in a redemption story. Dewey’s material is easily the most emotional content in Scream.
2 It Turns Sidney Into The Next Generation’s Protector
Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott is the beating heart of the Scream franchise and the movies benefit profoundly from continually returning to her character. Each Scream empowers Sidney a little more and while she remains under attack, it’s satisfying to see her grow more intelligent and capable when it comes to how she lives her life. Sidney is the one who rushes in to save the next generation of characters and one of the best moments in the film is when the survivors of this carnage come to Sidney for advice on how to keep on living.
1 Gale Gets Vengeance And The Kill
Courtney Cox’s Gale Weathers is another pivotal player in the Scream films, but her character has been in a state of arrested development. Gale and Dewey have parted ways in 2022’s Scream, but their raw history becomes a major motivator for Gale in the film’s final act. Gale experiences significant loss and it’s extremely cathartic when Sidney defers to Gale at the moment of the killer’s execution. It allows her character to get some sense of closure and lets Sidney’s selfless character share the spotlight at a crucial moment.
About The Author
[ad_2]
