Review of Scream 3 (2000) by Mike M — 25 Apr 2011

Easily the most reviled entry in the Scream franchise, the truth is that Scream 3 isn't all that bad. The shift in tone (due largely to the departure of original scribe Kevin Williamson) is distracting, and the returning characters aside from Sidney feel like shells of their Scream 2 selves, but there's enough cleverness and suspense on display to make it an entertaining mess.

The Neve Campbell scenes (minus an uber-cheesy dream sequence) are perhaps the strongest in the series, whereas the Parker Posey character stands out among the "new blood" in the cast; her interaction with Cox's Gale Weathers is hilarious.

There's ultimately lots to gripe about here (the disposability of the "Stab" cast and crew; the Scooby Doo chased-around-the-mansion final act, the Randy video and its bullshit "rules of a trilogy"), but for those not expecting the heights of the first two films, there's much to enjoy too.

For eleven years, this was an acceptable way to end the series, in spite of all its flaws. With lowered expectations, it's a lot of fun to watch; Sid's first visit to the "Stab" set (not to mention her bravery and resourcefulness in the finale) and the always enjoyable Parker Posey ultimately make up for the movie's negatives.