Cinematography:
Brett JutkiewiczComposer:
Brian TylerCast:
Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Courteney Cox, Mason Gooding, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Hayden Panettiere, Dermot Mulroney, Samara Weaving, Tony Revolori (more)VOD (5)
Plots(1)
Following the latest Ghostface killings, the four survivors leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter. (Paramount Pictures UK)
Videos (12)
Reviews (11)
The new environment did not entirely benefit the series, but fortunately there is still something to build on. Courteney Cox is still great, we even got Hayden Panettiere back, and from the new party from the previous episode, the clear number one is Wednesday Jenna Ortega. If the creators keep their word, then I am already looking forward to the seventh film in the series.
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I was quite surprised, and as a fan of the franchise, pleased that the sixth Scream would be screaming in theaters just fourteen months after the release of the fifth, which came eleven long years after the fourth (Wes Craven's last "slash"). As I've said before, I have a soft spot for Ghostface, so I'm willing to overlook the fact that it's pretty much a recycled version of the previous films. But as a fan, it's that connection between the first and fifth films that I appreciate and (along with the many pop culture references) downright enjoyed. The intro alone, which slyly plays with the rules of horror and stands them on their head, proves that the "screaming franchise" still has a lot to offer. I welcomed the film's setting in New York, where the they managed to take advantage of other locations to offer some truly good scenes – whether it was a chilling sequence from a convenience store or an apartment, or the atmospheric scene in a flashing subway. (Spoiler alert!) The identity of Ghotsface is clear from the first mention of the deceased family member, and then later from the attack in the apartment, but the film isn’t that concerned with a plot twist as it plays with audience expectations and horror rules, creating a hide-and-seek game. The viewer (ideally a fan) then calmly overlooks the immortality of certain characters and just watches the uncompromising destruction of the bad guys with a satisfying smile. (End: Spoiler alert!) In the end, Scream VI certainly didn't feel boring or dull, but if there is to be a sequel, which I wouldn't be opposed to, at least a three-year hiatus would be preferable.
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Perhaps no horror franchise has made it to a sixth installment without material fatigue, but here the fatigue is so minimal and hardly noticeable that it still feels fresh, fun and exciting. The horror sequences are a treat, the whole is laughable, but intentionally so. No Scream has ever really disappointed, not even this one.
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Ghostface in the bright lights of the big city. The change of setting revitalized the most notorious horror meta franchise, as did the decent push towards aggressive actions by the killer(s) with dubious motives. However, the bloated length and the smearing of excrement on faces without masks once again revealed the staleness of previous entries. Two things struck me: the fact that some characters get a seven-inch-long Buck 120 hunting knife plunged into their abdomen and then, after a while, act as if they were just having their belly button cleaned, and that Courteney Cox is starting to look like a vampire from The Lost Boys.
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A strong addition to an already pretty consistent franchise. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett have already shown in Ready or Not that they're a great choice to formulate the horror genre and they're making very audience-friendly genre films, I'm curious to see what's next. For the first time in the franchise, we leave Woodsboro and move to the big city of New York with a group of survivors who want to forget. But Ghostface returns more brutal than ever, this time, he doesn’t mind killing in public. The opening cameo with Samara Weaving is fine, and the unexpected twist right at the beginning is intriguing. It would be interesting to watch Scream from Ghostface's point of view, so hopefully we'll see it sometime. All of Ghostface's attacks are properly ferocious and intense, even quite brutal (although not much blood spurts when he's slicing with the knife, which bothered me slightly). The attack in the apartment is nasty, the attack in the shop is uncompromising, and the subway is nicely suspenseful and atmospheric with a wink to other horror icons. The reveal of the killer works in the finale, which again isn’t predictable. This is something the whole franchise has done very well. I also enjoyed all the familiar horror clichés and poking fun at franchises - I found that very entertaining. On the other hand, the fact that most of it is surviving the impossible is a bit of a bummer; that's about the only criticism I'd have. Otherwise, this is the best mainstream horror film of the year so far. 7.5/10.
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