Dir. Wes Craven
Ten years have passed since Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) survived violent attempts on her life by the ‘Ghostface Killer.’ She has rebuilt her life through writing about her experiences in a newly published self-help book. Returning to her hometown of Woodsboro on the anniversary of the original massacre to promote her book, she is reunited her with old friends, bumbling cop Dewey (David Arquette) and ruthless reporter Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox). However, her return sparks another killing spree, suggesting someone else from the past seeks a reunion with her; albeit a reunion sodden in blood…
The legacy of Scream is undeniable. A smart, suspenseful and scary deconstruction of the slasher film, it was hugely successful because it was not only a taut and terrifying thriller, but also a savvy commentary on the horror genre, particularly slasher movies. In its wake of self-awareness, ironic humour and biting reflexivity, horror was never the same again. Audiences have been inundated with slasher films featuring hip, cine-literate characters whose knowing dialogue also served as a critique of modern horror cinema and its audiences. No one has done it better than Scream though.
Skip forward a decade and director Wes Craven has re-teamed with writer Kevin Williamson to return to the leafy suburbs of Woodsboro and check in on survivor Sidney (Neve Campbell) and provide more cutting edge commentary on the past decade of horror cinema. Initially conceived as a trilogy, the prior Scream movies (with the arguable exception of the third entry) were critically lauded and most would agree it was fine to leave the series there. Sidney's story was told and there was a sense of closure. The more cynically inclined may suggest the mere success of these films always ensured the series could continue, whether it really needed to or not. Craven and Williamson have said there is still a story to be told regarding Sidney and Woodsboro's bloody past, hence this, the fourth film in the series and possible springboard for a whole new trilogy.
A riveting opening scene harks back to the original’s, and perfectly reflects the playfulness the series has become renowned for, expertly setting up our expectations, toying with them and then blindsiding us completely with twist after ever-surprising twist. Everything from Saw and ‘torture-porn’ to Hollywood remakes and the very concept of post-modern horror cinema is dissected and raked over the coals; the savvy dialogue unmistakably the work of Kevin Williamson, whose absence from Scream 3 was really felt. And that’s just the first 15 minutes. The film attempts to maintain this dizzying level of daring and ingenuity, toying with audience expectations throughout. At times it does feel rather conventional, but when viewed as part of a series, an instalment in the Scream franchise, it more than holds its own. At their heart, the Scream films have always been murder mystery tales with each instalment featuring a different killer connected to Sidney’s life in some way. Scream 4 is no different here, and the cast is awash with potential suspects. No spoilers, but the revelation of the killer and their motives is suitably topical in a time when reality TV has been on the rise again.
At times Scream 4 (unnecessarily) tries a little too hard to prove its relevance in contemporary horror, but there are instances when Williamson’s script touches on insightful concepts. When one character states forlornly: “One generation's tragedy is the next one's joke”, it seems to suggest how things change through the years; one generation’s relevant and ground-breaking horror flick is the next generation’s old hat. When Scream first leapt out at unsuspecting audiences back in the late Nineties, it was a game-changer, and Williamson became the fresh-faced, opinionated new kid on the horror block. It revived Craven's career, too. Scream was incredibly influential, and remains so. Scream 4 attempts to establish itself as something deliberately more ‘old-school’, but still actually offers much insightful commentary on the genre.
Craven’s direction tautly builds the momentum and there are a number of expertly executed set-pieces, particularly the stalking scene in a multi-story car park with Sidney's opportunistic publicist Rebecca (Alison Brie). A very likable cast also enhances proceedings and the returning trio of Neve Campbell, David Arquette and Courteney Cox are an asset to the film. Seeing them together again is like catching up with old friends, and their bond really helps lend the film much needed heart. These films have always been grounded by their characters, and this trio are really the core, the soul of Scream.
In keeping with the current trend of ultra-violent, ‘torture-porn’ films, Scream 4 is by far the most violent instalment of the series and the ferocity of some of the attacks is intensely unnerving. Craven references the work of Dario Argento and John Carpenter, while Williamson’s hyper-meta screenplay not only unravels as a tantalising and gory murder mystery, but also a critique of the horror genre, post-Scream. Scream 4, like its predecessors, is also a love-letter to fans of the genre, and this is no more evident than during a particularly humorous moment in the Stab movie marathon scene. The beer-swilling audience recite lines from the movie they’re watching as they are spoken onscreen, perhaps allowing the actual audience to see themselves and their love of the Scream films in these characters. Another particularly ingenious and barbed jab comes when horror fanatic Kirby (Hayden Panetierre) is quizzed by Ghostface on recent remakes and systematically rhymes off a shockingly lengthy and precise list.
Perhaps the most incisive, relevant and potent remark quipped onscreen is the last line spoken: “Number one rule of a remake, don't f**k with the original.” Scream 4 is a mark up on Scream 3 (sorry Parker Posey - I still love you!) and a solid entry in a series that arguably should have remained a trilogy. It honours the original and also carves out its own place within the series and within slasher cinema, building on what came before and looking to what might come in the future.