Scream

Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, Scream follows a new generation of potential victims, including Melissa Barrera’s Sam, Mikey Madison’s Amber, and Jack Quaid’s Richie, as they’re stalked and killed by Ghostface – with the heroes eventually soliciting help from Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott, David Arquette’s Dewey Riley, and Courteney Cox’s Gale Weathers. Filmmakers Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett, armed with James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick’s screenplay, deliver a decent sequel that admittedly kicks off with tremendous promise, as Scream, as expected, opens with a terrific pre-credits sequence that’s exactly as tense and absorbing as one might’ve anticipated (and hoped) – with the movie, beyond that point, progressing into a hit-and-miss midsection that’s hindered by its proliferation of far-from-stellar young-adult protagonists (ie the new characters are, by and large, generic and one-dimensional). It’s equally clear, however, that the picture benefits from an ongoing emphasis on captivating, enthralling sequences and set-pieces, including a fantastic interlude detailing Ghostface’s pursuit of a mother and son, and there’s little doubt, as well, that Vanderbilt and Busick’s tongue-in-cheek, self-referential sensibilities prove instrumental in separating the picture from its slasher-movie brethren. (It’s difficult, for example, not to get a kick out of the scene wherein the differences between sequels and reboots are debated.) And although the violent climax isn’t quite as satisfying as Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett have obviously intended, Scream nevertheless (and ultimately) comes off as a consistently watchable entry within an erratic yet predominantly above-average slasher series.

**1/2 out of ****