Scream 7 is a movie that nobody fully knew how it would turn out. The franchise itself has been very successful, but with the controversial departure of the previous leads as well as a new director and script, could Scream 7 even work, and would people even want to see it?
I, myself, am a massive fan of this franchise. The original Scream is possibly my favorite horror film of all time, as well as the first one I even remember seeing. As the years have gone by, every sequel has felt like an event. I find myself getting pumped and deep diving into all sorts of theories. With the approaching days of this new installment, I did feel nervous. With all the controversy and problems surrounding it, could it really be bad? Well, my friends, I am here to tell you that I was very entertained. I am also here to tell you that, yes, this movie is not very good and possibly the worst in the franchise.
The Story and What Makes A Scream Movie
When a new Ghostface killer emerges in the quiet town where Sidney has built a new life, her darkest fears are realized as her daughter becomes the next target. Determined to protect her family, she must face the horrors of her past to put an end to the bloodshed once and for all.
With the unanticipated firing of Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega backing out in solidarity with her on-screen sister, and the previous directors leaving, Scream 7 had to come up with something quick. Long-time Wes Craven collaborator Kevin Williamson steps into the director’s chair this time around, and the studio promised tons of returning characters and cameos. Scream 7 leans very heavily into nostalgia territory, and while it can be fun, it does feel desperate. It’s as if the new idea was “How do we get fans to still like this franchise after all the changes that were made? Just go back to basics.” Unfortunately, this is the biggest problem with this movie.
A Scream movie is usually sharply written and has a lot to say about what is currently going on in entertainment. Scream 4 talked about remakes and social media. Scream 5 was about reboots and fandom. Scream 7 has some ideas, but only touches the surface with them. The movie feels rushed and not as tight as the previous installments, turning it into a mostly generic slasher.
What Works and What Doesn’t?
This is Sidney Prescott’s movie. Neve Campbell was missing from Scream 6 due to payment issues and more controversy. She returns here, and I hope she got paid anything she wanted because she truly is the heart and soul of this franchise. It is interesting seeing her be a mom and how she handles that, along with all the trauma she has from her past. She and Isabel May, who plays her daughter Tatum, have several really good moments. When the movie talks about generational trauma it’s good, but when it tries to be witty and smart, something is missing.
The kills and tension are strong. Scream movies usually have great tension because we care a lot about the characters. They are usually written well. When there are scenes where Sidney and her family are in danger, we are on the edge of our seats. When it comes to everyone else, though, we don’t really care at all. Most of the new cast are very forgettable and don’t make much of an impression, which is very unfortunate because this franchise is known for its well-developed characters. A lot of them die in interesting ways, but the audience isn’t afraid. We just wait till the camera is back on Sidney.
Courtney Cox, Jasmin Savoy Brown, and Mason Gooding return as well, but unfortunately, they aren’t given much to do here besides give some poorly written exposition. I was happy to see them, but I do admit their entrance felt like there was a pause waiting for the audience to clap with excitement.
The Mystery is Weak
Another big component of the Scream films is obviously the mystery and killer reveal. It is fun to try to figure out who Ghostface is or why the killings are going on. The killer reveal is so predictable and ultimately nonsensical in Scream 7 that it feels borderline parody.
During one scene in particular, something happens, and I automatically knew who did it. The movie throws so much misdirection at the audience, but none of it feels earned or smart. The movie has many red herrings, but because of the script and choices made, you are never tricked. It was a bit annoying how clever the movie seemed to think it was when, in fact, it was not clever at all.
Overall
Writing this review, I realize how negative I am on the film, so I want to point out that I still enjoyed myself. The nostalgia worked for me, even though it felt desperate. I love seeing Sidney. I love callbacks to previous films. But every Scream movie usually feels fresh and progressive. Scream 7 feels basic and like it has nothing new to add or say.
If you are a fan of these movies, I feel you will like this one fine, but you will still be able to realize that it really doesn’t feel fully like a Scream movie. By going back to basics, the movie comes off as basic. If you somehow have never seen a Scream movie and start with this one, I don’t feel you would care enough to go back and watch the other ones. It really is unfortunate we didn’t get whatever Scream 7 we were originally supposed to get due to so much controversy. Things could have been so very different.
Neve Campbell is great, the kills are pretty good, the opening sequence is fun, and the chase sequences are done well. But the new characters are forgettable, the writing is weak, and overall, it’s the most forgettable Scream movie to exist, with possibly the worst killer reveal. At the end of the day, I personally cannot hate a Scream movie. I love the concepts too much. I can be very disappointed, though, and I am. There are some strong ideas in this that I wish were done better or talked about more. I do admit that if they made 10 more of these, I would still watch all 10, but at the same time, after this one, I think it would be okay if we either took a long break or let Ghostface rest for good.
