Scream 4 Review

When I first saw the Scream, I was amazed. As a fan of the horror genre, I immediately understood all the in jokes that made the film so successful. 

Then I saw Scream 2 and thought, "Yeah this is good, better then most horror sequel's" 

Then Scream 3 came out and, oh dear, it wasn't a masterpiece in filmmaking and I thought the story could of been so much better. Ghostface killing people on the set of Stab, a fictional movie within the Scream 3 movie. 

Scream 4 emerged in late 2010 and I was optimistic about it. Scream 3 was not very good, most horror franchise's are not remembered for the 4th film in the series. After some good reviews from both critics and fans I decided to see what all the fuss was about. So at the Showcase Cinema in Leeds, myself and my girlfriend went to experience Scream 4.

 The original cast, the original director, the original writer... the original film all over again?... Many would of thought so... I did... I was wrong. Kinda.

The film is set 10 years after the last one ( and seven stab films). Dewey (David Arquette) and Gale (Courteney Cox) are now married. Dewey is the woodsboro sheriff while Gale is, trying,to write a fiction book. Sidney (Neve Campbell) returns to her hometown of Woodsboro on the final leg of her book tour, but as she returns, so does Ghostface.

The Cast is completed by Hayden Panettiere, Emma Robert's, Marielle Jaffe, Rory Culkin and Erik Knudsen playing the new bunch of Woodsboro high school students, and along with Sidney, Ghostface's main targets. (Well most of them).

A new decade = new rules. Cinema club runner's Robbie and Charlie explain the new rules in a brilliant little scene, and the only way to survive a new horror film is to be gay. Which obviously doesn't save any of the cast.

Director Wes Craven keeps the original tone of the first three Scream films. All I can say to Wes Craven about keeping the same "feel" to all 4 films is... Well Done.

The film is much better then I expected it to be and kept me guessing till the end. I think anybody will guess that either Robbie or Charlie are behind the new wave of mayhem but having two killers was unexpected and the second killer was a huge surprise but worked extremely well.

The power of the Scream franchise is evident as it is the only horror franchise that the films main cast appear in all 4 films.

As with many films there is a downside and in Scream 4, it's Courteney Cox. To be truthfully honest, I thought she was terrible. The script gave her a number of large points and one liners that sadly she didn't live up to, But every cloud has a silver lining and in the film Gale is stabbed by Ghostface (Presumedly because of her acting skills)

Direction and cinematography are both excellent and most of the acting is superb.

A young cast was assembled and I predict a long and successful career in Hollywood awaits most of them.

Scream 4 - 4/5