Review of Scream 4 (2011) by Joanna B — 01 Mar 2016

Scream once; Don't answer the phone. Don't open the door. Don't try to escape.

Scream twice; Someone has taken their love of sequels one step too far.

Scream Thrice; Rules of a trilogy: Chapter one sets the rules. Chapter two bends the rules. But in the finale...forget the rules.

Scream four times; New decade. New rules.

Since its premier in 1996, Scream has set a bloody benchmark for the thriller horror genre. Squealed, copied and spoofed to death, this fourth instalment attempts to pay homage to its predecessors whilst trying to be appeasing to the changing demands of a new generation of horror viewers. Sadly, were all just too jaded these days.

Ten years have passed since the last appearance of 'The Ghostface Killer', and habitual slasher victim Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) is finally returning to her home town of Woodsboro.

Now a well adjusted adult promoting her own new self-help book, Sidney casually attempts to reconnect with other survivors; the now married and only other original targets, Sheriff Dewey (David Arquette) and Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox), as well as her teenage cousin Jill (Emma Roberts) and flippant friends.

Surprising as it may be, Sidney's reappearance also brings about the return of Ghostface, putting her, Gale, Dewey and the entire town of Woodsboro in danger. Sidney must figure out who is committing these copycat murders and try too once again to avoid becoming their victim.

Originally intended to be a trilogy, standing director Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson have once again signed on to make an additional second (star wars style) trilogy. Always satirically tongue-in-cheek about their approach, the intervening 10 years since its last instalment have not been kind to the genre and scream along with its slasher brethren are sadly passé.

Holding on to its tag of not only making the rules but breaking them, Scream 4 attempts a dignified reboot by bringing back original survivors Neve Campbell and the now married but on hiatus Courtney Cox and David Arquette, in a lovely 'aren't we getting old' reunion of in-jokes.

Trying to cash in on generation-I's shallow pop-culture market by focusing more on the comedy/horror angle (similar to that of the child's play/chucky series) the director follows trend by casting young Hollywood-hipsters to inject a modern acidic bite.

Squeezing dollars, we get a new band of "big breasted girls running up the stairs when they should be running out the door" in Hayden Panettiere, Emma Roberts, Anna Paquin and Kristen Bell and new "funny guy who always gets it" in Adam Brodie and Rory Culkin, none of which live up to the Drew Barrymore or Jamie Kennedy of past.

Complicating the situation further, we have the added interference of modern technologies. With social networks, satellite driven mobile phones and virtual video games, this 1980/1990's confusion based twist and turn horror is simply too outdated to satisfy. Who is scared of a knife and a mask these days?

The Verdict: Can recent career lacking Neve survive another stab? Can this shameful grab for cash turn into a decent stroll down popcorn laden screaming lane or die the usual ungracefully long horror film saga death? Only time and more sequels will tell. Stab me when it's over!

Published: The Queanbeyan Age.

Date of Publication: 22/04/2011.