There have been over a dozen horror remakes, reboots and reimaginings in the past decade and most of them were pretty bad. Sitting in the theater on opening night, I had mixed emotions about Scream 4. I hoped it would bring the series back to the level of the original, but feared it would only stray further. As I left, I found myself pleasantly surprised. It was a lot of fun and had a knockout ending. The next day I found it had a solid 7.7 on IMDb. Since then, I've read post after post in which fans have not only bashed the movie (which is fine) but spoiled the ending (which isn't). In my opinion, Scream 4 deserves better.
Scream 4 is a genuine sequel. The original cast reprise their roles and do a great job. Since it is eleven years later, everyone is at a different point in their lives. Sydney is a writer, Dewey is Woodsboro's sheriff and Gale is married to Dewey trying to write her first novel. The characters are older, stronger and smarter. Then there's the new cast. While most slasher sequels offer little more than another batch of doomed sex-crazed teenagers, the Scream teens have always been pretty intelligent with significant time taken to develop their characters. For the most part, this continues in Scream 4. Best of all, original screenwriter Kevin Williamson rejoins director Wes Craven to create a story that's equally fresh and familiar. Yes, Scream 4 not only packs plenty of surprises; it turns the original trilogy on its head!
The Scream series openings have always prided themselves on being shocking and clever and this one is no different. From there the film proceeds to reintroduce the three stars as well as the newbies. Most of the new characters have pivotal roles, some of whom are deliberate reincarnations of past characters. This might make some nostalgic for the days of Tatum and Randy, but I think most will find the new characters interesting enough on their own. The passing of time is captured through the use of technology including Facebook and Twitter, webcams, and smart phones. Like its predecessors, Scream 4 makes several references to other horror films including Saw IV, Shaun of the Dead, and that hilariously long list of remakes used in the trailer. Finally there are the Stab movies, the series within a series that began in Scream 2. In Scream 3, Stab 3 is in production, and by Scream 4, they are up to Stab 7.
While I won't reveal anything about the ending, I will say that it's awesome. In fact, Scream 4 in general is a lot of fun. You'll notice a few scenes that are obvious counterparts to the original, much like what Wes Craven did in New Nightmare. Scream 4 is brutal, funny, clever and scary. If you liked the first three Screams, you'll probably like this one too. If you accept that times and "rules" have changed you're sure to have a blast. I think the main reason some fans have a problem with Scream 4 is that it does not follow the original rules. Others have complained about ridiculous or illogical moments. All I can say to that is...Dude, it's a Scream movie! They all had those moments! Though the films have always been smart, they all came with a side of cheese. Perhaps the best thing about the Screams is that they make fun of horror films while being horror films. So relax, have some Jiffy Pop, and don't take it all so seriously. After all, it's just a movie.
Scream 4 is a genuine sequel. The original cast reprise their roles and do a great job. Since it is eleven years later, everyone is at a different point in their lives. Sydney is a writer, Dewey is Woodsboro's sheriff and Gale is married to Dewey trying to write her first novel. The characters are older, stronger and smarter. Then there's the new cast. While most slasher sequels offer little more than another batch of doomed sex-crazed teenagers, the Scream teens have always been pretty intelligent with significant time taken to develop their characters. For the most part, this continues in Scream 4. Best of all, original screenwriter Kevin Williamson rejoins director Wes Craven to create a story that's equally fresh and familiar. Yes, Scream 4 not only packs plenty of surprises; it turns the original trilogy on its head!
The Scream series openings have always prided themselves on being shocking and clever and this one is no different. From there the film proceeds to reintroduce the three stars as well as the newbies. Most of the new characters have pivotal roles, some of whom are deliberate reincarnations of past characters. This might make some nostalgic for the days of Tatum and Randy, but I think most will find the new characters interesting enough on their own. The passing of time is captured through the use of technology including Facebook and Twitter, webcams, and smart phones. Like its predecessors, Scream 4 makes several references to other horror films including Saw IV, Shaun of the Dead, and that hilariously long list of remakes used in the trailer. Finally there are the Stab movies, the series within a series that began in Scream 2. In Scream 3, Stab 3 is in production, and by Scream 4, they are up to Stab 7.
While I won't reveal anything about the ending, I will say that it's awesome. In fact, Scream 4 in general is a lot of fun. You'll notice a few scenes that are obvious counterparts to the original, much like what Wes Craven did in New Nightmare. Scream 4 is brutal, funny, clever and scary. If you liked the first three Screams, you'll probably like this one too. If you accept that times and "rules" have changed you're sure to have a blast. I think the main reason some fans have a problem with Scream 4 is that it does not follow the original rules. Others have complained about ridiculous or illogical moments. All I can say to that is...Dude, it's a Scream movie! They all had those moments! Though the films have always been smart, they all came with a side of cheese. Perhaps the best thing about the Screams is that they make fun of horror films while being horror films. So relax, have some Jiffy Pop, and don't take it all so seriously. After all, it's just a movie.