About the film (courtesy of Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group):
Four survivors of the original Ghostface killings attempt leave Woodsboro behind for a fresh start.
The Scream franchise has proven to be an interesting one, and definitely not atypical, especially when it comes to expected degradation of quality throughout the years. Somehow, someway it has avoided becoming stale, predictable or a shallow money grab over its continued story about unfortunate residents of Woodsboro finding themselves at the wrong end of a knife. Scream VI is the latest to take another stab at success.
Consistency starts with having a familiar foundation of which to build upon. Scream VI sees the return of both co-directors from the previous film, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, along with four of the main actors from that chapter, Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding. Not to be outdone, we have a couple of legacy actors of the franchise returning in Courteney Cox and Hayden Panettiere. Sadly there’s no sighting of Neve Campbell’s character, Sidney, due to a contract dispute and that’s too bad because her character was missed. That being said, the latest installment doesn’t miss a beat without the longtime staple.
Scream VI sees the inclusion of a few new interesting characters that serve as wild cards and/or simple prey. This list includes Samara Weaving, Devyn Nekoda, Jack Champion, Liana Liberato, Josh Segarra and Dermot Mulroney. With so many characters to choose from, there’s a lot of uncertainty regarding fates, purpose and motives which helps keeps the story going. And each of these characters mentioned, do serve a purpose and are, surprisingly, not glossed over in a hurried attempt to reach the conclusion. On the surface, a 123 minute runtime may appear as a bit much for this type of film, but I was fine with the pace of which the story plays out.
Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett do a nice job of providing entertainment, first and foremost, while also taking the time to ensure that Scream VI doesn’t come off as lazy or shallow. They, along with the writers, make sure that your time spent consuming this far-from-unique experience, isn’t a waste of time or money. There is definitely something to be said for a work that is completely self-aware of what it actually is. This acceptance means that audiences should get an honest effort in what they’re seeing, and from my perspective, that’s exactly what happens here.
No, Scream VI isn’t innovative or new, but it does take the refreshing approach of being honest enough to give viewers exactly what they want. What is that exactly, you might ask? More blood, more gore, a bigger stage and a larger body count. Most, if not all, of these things are addressed in this fun romp through the city that never sleeps.
Scream VI is yet another welcome addition to the genre that should have audiences leaving their theatrical experience with smiles and positive buzz. The acting is solid. The writing is tight. The visuals are profoundly vivid. This is definitely an experience that should be shared with like-minded individuals, which is to say that seeing this in theaters is preferred.
You can see Scream VI in all of its gory, I mean glory when it opens in theaters everywhere this Friday, March 10th. If you’re extra eager and want to avoid any potential spoilers, head out one day prior to catch one of the early showtimes on Thursday evening!
