One of the first lines of this new Scream is "Is that Wes calling you again?" ". But this time the game has changed, no more Wes Craven to lead this new part of the horror saga. In place of the master of horror we find a directing duo composed of Tyler Gilett and Matt Betinelli-Olpin . And even before the film's release, I found that very reassuring as the duo knows how to work together perfectly on the genre. Their segments on V/H/S or 666 Road were inventive and controlled while their very recent Wedding Nightmareis one of the great horror films of the year 2019. A superb survival coming to deconstruct (as regularly in the genre) the American family. Their arrival on this project of a new Scream , after the death of Wes Craven who had nevertheless initiated the project, pleased me then, as the two filmmakers are rising stars of American horror. My first concern appeared when Kevin Williamson, the historical screenwriter of the saga who had also written several drafts for this new episode, took a step back from the project to become the film's producer. The new screenplay was then rewritten by James Vanderbilt ( Zodiac and The Amazing Spider-Man 1 and 2 ) and Guy Busick. This new part of Screamwas therefore a difficult project to carry out and which had matured for several years, but is it a successful bet?
King is back
Scream divides. This new component is unanimously appreciated by American critics, while in France the reception was much colder. A reception which in my opinion is absolutely not deserved, I was planning to play Scream I wanted to address an important point with you: the expectations we have of a film. This is an extremely important factor that influences our criticism and our perception of the work in question. So what were my expectations on Scream ?
Recently, in a scene from Matrix Ressurections , a team of devs were wondering (in an extremely meta way) what the old Matrix movies mean to them. They then discuss among themselves what the original trilogy is for fans: impressive action scenes, philosophical reflections and great metaphors on technology and transsexuality. So let's do the same with Scream and ask what is Scream ? Scream is above all a saga that revived the fashion for slashers by playing with their original codes. A saga where the characters know the films of the genre like Halloween or Friday the 13thbut despite everything they cannot escape the massacre. They are therefore meta films but which nevertheless know how to remain good slashers: the characters may well know the rules of the game, yet they continue to lose again and again. If I like the Scream so much it's because they manage to put us in the place of the characters. We seek the identity of the killer with them, we try to identify where the next attack will come from and especially where the assassin is hiding. The staging and the sound effects make the film a macabre game, where one observes in a paranoid way the doors and windows near the characters. It is good to know what can happen Scream manages to surprise us, to scare. On top of that Screamwas different from other Slashers series because it stood out from the mythical killer as Freddy, Michael or Jason can be. Here those who remain from film to film are the protagonists and in particular the figure of Final Girl embodied by Sidney. The figures of Final Girl, literally the last survivor, they are legion in genre cinema: Ripley in Alien or in particular Laurie Strode in Halloween , but Sidney Prescott of Scream has always had a particular strength. She fights against the killers and will even manage to kill several of them. Screamthey are also characters who evolve over the films, with whom the attachment is natural like the journalist Gale Weathers who becomes more and more altruistic, while her companion the sheriff Dewey will become more and more courageous. Scream is a complex mix and reproducing it is not an easy thing, so I was worried about this new part. And yet I come out conquered.
A new sheriff in town
So here are my expectations for this new part: a pure slasher yet playing with the codes of the genre, and of teen-movie. A whodunit where we are constantly in the place of the characters, a touch of meta and a dose of my favorite characters. I didn't expect the film to reinvent the saga, I only expected it to continue it. So does Scream keep its promises? First of all as a Slasher he holds up extremely well. A high body count where murders follow one another, sometimes in a very graphic way, especially during this scene where a knife slowly crosses the trachea of a character. Screamreturns to brutal and violent murders, which are chained in a fatal way on the characters. Trapped inside the film with them we spend our time observing if the killer is hiding behind each refrigerator, garage or shower door. “You know the rules though! Take the power” says a character to the protagonists of the fake-film STAB . However, this message is also addressed to two other levels of reading: to the characters of the film Scream and to the spectators of the latter. No matter how hard we try to prepare for everything, we end up being surprised again and again. This new installment of Scream is a violent and generous slasher.
"No, I don't want your fucking calendars!" »
Its teen-movie dimension is less elaborate than in previous films, but it still manages to present a gallery of easily identifiable, almost caricatural characters. But that's exactly what we expect from a Scream : the archetypes of a nice boyfriend, a great sportsman who's a bit stupid, a horror movie fan, etc... And the return of the old characters is successful, but above all logic. We are happy to see them again, they have learned from their mistakes and therefore have a much better chance of surviving this massacre. Yet this new part of Screamis not there to be tender with our nostalgia: it will put them in danger, and not be satisfied with making them appear here and there. We think of the character of Dewey who will have one of his most beautiful scenes in this opus (his main theme being always so pleasant to listen to). Scream is not a tender film and he is aware of it. Besides, it is even a little too much, its meta side is this time both too strong and yet not deep enough. He constantly comes to explain to us the decisions of the writers and directors when he doesn't need to. He knows how to be right sometimes, especially when explaining the differences between classic slashers and recent ambient films like " Heredity ", " It Follows " or " Babadook ”. However, it is less fair when it tries to talk about the expectations of the fans, almost too heavy and above all too explicit for a film that constantly talks about advancing masking.
13 reasons why I shouldn't be here
This new component suffers from several flaws such as the absolutely despicable use of a "ghost" in CGI which is not at all credible. Or even inconsistencies like day and night that interchange between two scenes as if there was nothing strange? And one wonders how such mistakes could land in a movie theater. But despite everything, I really like this part. See endearing characters return to where it all began, to try to end it. Attend a real slasher where the murders follow each other without end. Investigate with the characters to find where the assassin is. And especially seeing Sidney and Ghostface again after so many years. Screamversion 2022 is worth it just for its badass lines like “Now welcome to the third act” or this famous “Good evening Sidney”. For two hours we are with the characters within Scream itself , knowing the rules of the genre without being able to stop the massacre. I am happy to have found you Scream and I hope to tell you soon for a sixth part.
PS: Louan to love the film but following a pledge he lost he will try to tell you the opposite below this review. Don't listen to it and go see this superb slasher in theaters this week. Will you find Ghostface before he finds you?
Editorial review
Louan N.
A film like Scream has its strengths. Some dialogue is fast enough to amuse and elicit a chuckle here and there. The few reminders to previous films are effective without being sloppy. When it comes to the new cast, Brown strikes the tone that no one else seems to be able to put their finger on and Madison, given enough time, has an offbeat energy that heralds something better for her and for him. movie. But criticizing something does not mean disengaging from it. Wanting a film that immerses us in the culture in which these characters (and ourselves) live is not to reject an idea. It's Scream 's DNA. More importantly, asking for consideration for how this history is changed is asking for respect. It means needing time to understand and deal with the most difficult moments it offers us, and not being satisfied with a basic physiognomy. It's not about demanding it. Scream is not a bad movie. This is, however, a case where mediocrity is the worst sin. For a franchise whose goal is to adapt to a media landscape that breeds disillusionment, to produce something like this hurts especially.
Currently in theaters with Neve Campbell, Courtney Coxx, David Arquette, Jack Quaid, Jenna Ortega, Dylan Minette and many more...
Scream in theaters on January 12, 2022.
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