Welcome back to the blog guys. I recently saw the latest entry into the beloved Scream franchise, titled Scream VI. I will tell you that last year's Scream film was a pleasant surprise, so much it was my #13 film of the year. I appreciated the sense of nostalgia, even though it was my first Scream film, and its satirical look on idolization. The killings were fun and the performances were fun and inspired.
This new film sees Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Hayden Panettiere, Courteney Cox, Roger L. Jackson, Jasmin Savoy Brown, and Mason Gooding reprise their roles from previous films while joined by a new cast that includes Jack Champion, Henry Czerny, Dermot Mulroney, Tony Revolori, Josh Segarra, and Samara Weaving. In this film, Sam, Tara, Chad and Mindy have moved to New York since the previous year's legacy killings, and find themselves the targets of a new and more ruthless Ghostface.
Before I get into my overall review of the film, Neve Campbell's exit did not have an impact on my liking or non-liking of the film. And the short gap in between installments actually had me scared. I was under the impression that this decision was going to hurt the film as a whole because it would have felt rushed. And as you should know, I am not a fan of things that are rushed. (In my opinion, the two worst Imagine Dragons albums are Origins and Mercury - Act 2, two albums released one year after the previous albums.)
With that out of the way, now to my review of the film. I have to say that this film was a damn fun time. Everything I loved and appreciated about Scream (2022) were here, just bigger and better. The film was gorier than last year's and the kills were awesome. And the performances are genuinely great. And the twist was just as shocking as last year's.
I am so glad that they let Tara live last year, because every minute Jenna Ortega was on the screen, she was electrifying. She lights a fire under the rest of the cast, and this may have been what convinces me to watch Wednesday, so if I start posting reviews you know where it started. Melissa Barrera plays Tara's sister Sam, and is just as great as she was last year. She continues to bring a fire to this character, and now with an added layer of expectation that she brings to life wonderfully. And every other performance is elevated and wonderful, and because of that, these characters are endearing and we feel empathy for them.
I have to talk about the kills. This Ghostface is much more ruthless than their predecessors, and they even use the past to inspire their actions. Some of these kills are absolutely brutal, much like a butchering. So if you're not a fan of gore, than this film is not for you. From shaking a planked ladder to make someone fall to their death to literally blowing someone's brains out with a shotgun of all things, these killings are John Wick-like and I. Am. Here. For. It.
The score is incredible as well. Brian Tyler delivers the goods and then some with some of his finest work yet, and proves to be a killer duo with Sven Faulconer. And the two theme songs are incredible as well. I am a big fan of Linkin Park and it is always nice to see Mike Shinoda doing things since Chester Bennington's untimely death in July 2017. He teams up with Kailee Morgue to bring us "In My Head," which is a fun as hell rap song. And Demi Lovato continues into their rock/grunge era with "Still Alive" and kills it.
To conclude my thoughts, Scream VI is a damn good time that ramps up the violence and the performances to excellent new heights, and hopefully promises a higher bar next time around. Thank you all for reading, and I will see you for the next one.
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