Scream is a unique horror property. For a generation of movie fans, Scream was their Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, or Friday the 13th. Yet, Scream isn’t considered a traditional horror film by many people. It pokes fun at the horror genre using memes before that word was even a thing. Now, over 25 years after the first Scream arrived in theaters, Scream 5, officially titled, “Scream” is almost upon us.
Most fans of Scream consider the first film to be the best. When it comes to sequels, Scream 2 tends to be the go-to, but that might just change once the fan base has seen Scream 5. Continuing its self-aware take on the horror genre, Scream 5 is a requel. By its own definition, that’s a sequel that pulls in classic characters, while pushing the franchise forward with a new, younger cast.
Returning from the original film are Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), Gale Riley (Courteney Cox), and Dewey Riley (David Arquette), with Deputy Judy Hicks (Marley Shelton) coming back from Scream 4. Everyone slides right back into character without missing a beat. You’ll still feel for Dewey in every situation he’s in, while Sidney portrays the powerful woman she’s always been, and Gale… reports? No matter how many years have passed, if you felt for these characters back in 1996, you’ll feel for them again in 2022.
The old guard is joined by a slew of new faces, including Deputy Hicks’ son, Wes (Dylan Minnette), Martha Meeks (Heather Matarazzo) children, Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Chad (Mason Gooding), Chad’s girlfriend Liv (Sonia Ammar), sisters Sam (Melissa Barrera) and Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega), Sam’s boyfriend Richie (Jack Quaid), and Tara’s best friend Amber (Mikey Madison). They’re all given a lot of exposition to deliver to the audience, muting their characters a bit, but most of them are charming in their own unique ways by the end of the film.
Mindy and Chad stand out the most, partially because they take over some of Randy Meeks’ (Jamie Kennedy) duties by relaying the rules of horror movies. They feel the most genuine of the new characters, even though that sometimes means they’re just annoying teenagers. As a whole, the new characters give similar vibes to the friend group in the first Scream, although the jury is still out on whether or not they’ll be as iconic.
Scream 5 isn’t particularly scary, and if you’re paying attention you’ll probably have a pretty good idea who the killer is. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you’re a Scream fan. This is how all of the Scream movies play out. They’re more suspense than straight horror, they aren’t overly difficult to figure out, and they poke fun at the horror genre. That’s what people love about Scream movies, and you’ll find that in spades in Scream 5.
If you’re not a fan of the Scream franchise, Scream 5 won’t change your opinion. It’s more of the same, but it does it better than any of the other Scream sequels. Despite a fair amount of blood and gore, this is not a serious horror film. There are a few jump scares, and people certainly get cut up, but this isn’t meant to scare the wits out of you. It’s an entertaining ride that leaves room for what will very likely be at least one more sequel. There are no additional scenes during the credits, so feel free to leave once the credits role.
About Scream
Synopsis: Twenty-five years after the original series of murders in Woodsboro, a new Ghostface emerges, and Sidney Prescott must return to uncover the truth.
Directors: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Writers: James Vanderbilt, Guy Busick
Stars: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Marley Shelton, Melissa Barrera
Rated: R
Runtime: 1 Hour, 54 Minutes
Releases: January 14th, 2022 (USA)
Bryan Dawson has been writing professionally since the age of 13. He started his career as a video game writer and has since worked for Random House, Prima Games, DirecTV, IGN, AOL, the British Government, and various other organizations. For GNN, Bryan taps into his passion for movies.
