RATING: 3 out of 5
Franchises have a reputation for getting worse and worse as more installments are released, but “Scream VI,” released on Mar. 10, manages to subvert those expectations and create an outstanding movie-going experience. Starring in the film are Tera Carpenter (Jenna Ortega) and Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera), is a slasher horror film that gives the fans of the Scream franchise a bloodier adventure while sparking deep introspection about our society. Spoiler Alert: This movie is full of blood and gore, and thus is rated R.
Characters and references from all other previous movies in the franchise do make appearances, but their relevance is subtly explained, so you would not be missing out on anything if you have not seen the rest of the “Scream” movies.
This movie will not blow you away. It is not a transcendental piece of film that will be remembered through generations. It is still a standard Hollywood cash grab in an oversaturated franchise, albeit done well. The soundtrack is extremely mundane and barely affects the overall film. The cinematography depicting New York is good, but hundreds of movies have brought New York to life better than “Scream VI”, so I was not surprised. That does not take away from the experience of watching the movie, but it does not enhance the experience either.
Is “Scream VI” thrilling? Absolutely. The movie keeps you on the edge of your seat from the first stab to the last. The movie is extremely aware that it is part of an oversaturated genre, so it throws curveballs at the audience to keep them on their toes. This film is more suspenseful than scary; thus, it might more aptly fit under the thriller genre than the horror genre. Like many modern scary movies, it relies heavily on cheap jumpscares and overused tropes for any real scares, and the rest of the movie is dedicated to building suspense for a third act which is also not scary.
The acting in this movie is completely forgettable. The only redeemable performance is that of Jenna Ortega, whose character is the only one who feels like a real human being and not an actor who memorized a few lines. Actress Courtney Cox (Gale Weathers) was underwhelming, and every time she was on screen, I wanted to skip the scene just to avoid having to watch her. There were no emotions in her face, and her dialogue was cringey. Cox’s character already had no reason to be in this film, and her performance just made it worse.
The main mystery of the movie is Ghostface’s identity, and the movie certainly takes some unexpected turns, adding fun and suspense to the viewing experience. Personally, I was dumbfounded when wondering who was responsible for all the stabbings and was pleasantly shocked when the answer was revealed.
The events of the previous movie still haunt Sam Carpenter. Now, she is blamed for being a vicious killer instead of the victim she really is, which is a commentary on how modern culture tends to blame women who are victims of abuse instead of the real perpetrators. Sam is harassed on the street because of her experiences.She is turned away by a therapist and is mentally still haunted by those experiences because she has nobody to reach out to. For her, the struggle is larger than just running away from a killer, and the movie incorporates the theme of victim-blaming into the story very well.
Overall, the movie is innovative and entertaining. For casual viewers of the horror genre, it is a good slasher film to help you dive deeper into the genre, and for extreme fans of the horror genre, the movie is bloodier and crazier than your average “guy with a knife” film, so it is still a worthwhile experience.