Review: Scream 4

Grade: A

It’s been over ten years since Sydney Prescott has gone back to Woodsboro, but she returns on the anniversary of the famous series of murders by the ”Ghostface Killer” in order to promote her new self-help book. While there she reconnects with Sheriff Dewey and his wife, Gale, as well as her cousin Jill and her aunt Kate. Unfortunately, however, a new “Ghostface killer” wants to reconnect with Sydney as well. However, the rules have changed and anybody is game in this new age of horror. Now the whole town of Woodsboro is in danger as somebody tries to “re-imagine” the famous murders in their own version.

Scream 4 should be titled Scream 3: For Real This Time. This one completely makes up for the atrocious third movie in this series. It manages to do exactly what it was meant to do: it makes a great addition to the series while managing to be a perfect satire of new age horror movies. The opening scene is hilarious as it mocks movies with too many sequels and pokes fun at the modern “torture porn” movies that go for more gore rather than actually being scary. Not to mention the amazing ending this movie manages to pull off. I love the scenes where they discuss the new rules to horror movies. All of the characters are great and the movie keeps you guessing the whole time as to who the killer is. It really manages to be just as good (if not better than at times) as the first two Scream movies. Wes Craven has completely re-invented and revitalized the series with this movie. It completely exceeded my expectations and I ended up loving every bit of it.

Neve Campbell (Drowning Mona, The Craft) returns as the lead character Sydney Prescott. I really enjoy her in the first two movies and it is great to see her return in top form for this new installment. David Arquette The Darwin Awards, Eight Legged Freaks) returns as Sheriff Dewey. Arquette is very enjoyable in these movies and it’s great to see him back in this role. Courtney Cox (Bedtime Stories, TVs Cougar Town) returns as well as Gale Weathers. While at first it seems as though Gale has become a new person, she quickly returns to her old self. Cox is great in this role but I was a little bummed out that Neve Campbell never punches her in the face. Emma Roberts (It’s Kind of a Funny Story, Valentine’s Day) plays the role of Jill, Sydney’s cousin. Roberts did a great job with this role, really fun and enjoyable. The movie also features performances by Anna Paquin, Kristen Bell, Lucy Hale, Shenae Grimes, Alison Brie, Hayden Panettiere, Nico Tortorella, Rory Culkin, Adam Brody, Anthony Anderson and more.

Scream 4 is a fantastic addition the the series and is everything I could have hoped for out of a Scream movie. It is very funny and very bloody with little bits of terror tossed in. It really holds up to the original movies in the fact that it manages to be both a decent horror movie and a great satire of horror movies. Now, as much as I enjoyed this movie, I really hope that this is the last in the series. I’m afraid that if they push it and make another that it’s going to end up becoming the very thing it is making fun of. So, if you like horror movies and you like the first two Scream movies then Scream 4 is a must see.

Great quote: "Yeah, new decade, new rules.”