Scream VI (2023)
Scream VI takes Ghostface where he’s never been before: New York City. Jason Voorhees is the only other major horror icon to attempt to conquer the Big Apple. He didn’t fare very well there. Will Ghostface have better luck?
Several months after the events of 2022’s Scream, the survivors are now living in New York. They are hoping that a fresh start away from Woodsboro will help them move on. Sam (Melissa Barrera), her sister Tara (Jenna Ortega), and their friends Chad (Mason Gooding) and Mindy (Jasmine Savoy Brown) are now students at Blackmore University. This group, who are now known as the “core four”, are the new generation of main characters in this series.
Sam, the daughter of original Ghostface Billy Loomis, is still haunted by visions of her dead father and tormented by accusations that she is a psychopath like him. She has become overprotective of her half-sister Tara, who is more interested in partying than confronting her trauma. Meanwhile, expert horror fan Mindy has found a new love interest, Anika (Devyn Nekoda). Mindy’s twin Chad acts as a protective big brother for Tara, while harboring romantic feelings for her.
The core four have largely replaced the trio of legacy characters who dominated the earlier films. The only character from the original trilogy to appear is Gail Weathers (Courtney Cox) and she has a relatively small role. Gail finally gets a phone call from Ghostface this time. She also discovers a creepy abandoned movie theater, a setting that plays a memorable part in the film’s ending.
Of course, Ghostface returns to embark on another bloody rampage, targeting the core four and anyone who is associated with them. The killer(s) has somehow gained possession of the masks from each of the previous Scream killing sprees. He wears the tattered mask of Billy Loomis from the original Scream and leaves other masks at each of the crime scenes. The kills are particularly brutal in this installment. Ghostface uses a wider variety of weapons than usual.
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Neve Campbell did not return as Sidney due to a contract dispute. However, the film adds another returning character: Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere). A decade after surviving a killing spree orchestrated by her so-called friend Jill, Kirby resurfaces as an FBI agent who is an expert on the Ghostface killings. Despite having not acted in several years, Panettiere slips back into the role. She delivers a solid performance as a more sophisticated version of the teenager she played in Scream 4.
Melissa Barrera’s acting was a bit flat in Scream, but she comes into her own in this film. Barrera is the unquestioned star of Scream VI and her character’s journey gives the movie a level of emotional depth that is rarely seen in a slasher sequel. Jenna Ortega, now a mainstream celebrity after her deliciously deadpan performance in the Netflix series Wednesday, is solid as always. Jasmin Savoy-Brown adds lots of entertainment with her numerous references to horror films and genre cliches. Mason Gooding is likeable as Chad, who somewhat adopts the role that Dewey used to play in the original movies.
Scream VI is co-directed by Matt Bettelini-Olpin and Tyler Gilette, the same duo that helmed the previous installment. Their first movie was heavily dependent on referencing material from the original Scream (and to a lesser extent Scream 4). Scream VI contains a ton of allusions to all the previous movies. But it is also much more original than its immediate predecessor. Stuff happens in the opening scene and in the third act that we have not seen before in this series.
There is still plenty of material that will be predictable to folks who have seen the previous movies. But the great chemistry between the four main characters, brutal kills, and an atmospheric setting help distinguish this installment.
Rating
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Scream VI is as good as a sixth installment of a slasher franchise can get. It still often relies on conventions from the previous films. With that said, the New York setting and numerous plot twists help keep the movie fresh.
Rating from 1 (avoid at all costs) to 10 (masterpiece) 7.5/10
