Scream (2022) - SPOILER-FREE Review
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© Paramount Pictures
Directed by: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Written by: James Vanderbilt, Guy Busick
Starring: Melissa Barrera, Mason Gooding, Jenna Ortega, Jack Quaid, David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Marley Shelton, Roger L. Jackson
Runtime: 114 min
Synopsis: Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, Calif., a new killer dons the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town's deadly past.
© Paramount Pictures
Until today, I still haven't found a genre I simply can’t appreciate. This doesn't mean I absolutely love every single genre, but of course, just like everyone else, I tend to enjoy more certain types of movies. Horror is undoubtedly one of my preferred genres, influencing my life more than you could imagine. Therefore, it's far from surprising that the original Scream stands as one of my all-time favorites. Even though I enjoy every sequel, none come close to the 1996 film, which became culturally significant and incredibly impactful in cinema history. Its meta environment allows for clever, thought-provoking social commentary, but I didn't know if a fifth installment could succeed.
Having in mind my massive disappointment with The Matrix Resurrections a few weeks ago, I was worried that Scream 5 - for the sake of writing an unconfusing review, I'll address the 2022 movie like this - would go down the same route. Fortunately, directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett joined with screenwriters James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick (all worked on Ready or Not), showing the world how to do a near-perfect meta film! I've literally shared my Top10: Best Movies of 2021 two weeks ago, 2022 has just begun, and I already have a strong contender for my next year-end ranking.
© Paramount Pictures
I'm sure that critics are facing the same challenge as I do right now. Scream 5 is such an extraordinary self-aware film with tons of effective commentary on the horror genre that some of my thoughts are exact bits of dialogue from the actual movie. From the humorous play with the definition and examples of "elevated horror" to the brilliant manipulation of the audience's knowledge of how jumpscare sequences work, both the script and the filmmaking in display are utterly flawless. The directors' vision and the writers' intent are clearly depicted on the big screen in a fascinating manner. I lost count of the number of chuckles and grins I had on my face.
The horror genre is always approached within the Scream franchise. There are always characters who love this type of film, so usually, most of the meta comments address how Hollywood, studios, and more recently, social media react to both new, original movies and continuations or reboots of existent IP. Scream 5 tackles the lovely, healthy, inoffensive topic of toxic fandoms. I don't know how familiar the general audience is with this subject matter, but for someone who belongs to the Film Twitter community and shares several group chats with other critics and film lovers like myself, I couldn't have felt happier during the screening. I genuinely rejoiced at every single line of dialogue related to this topic.
"How can fandoms be toxic?!", says a character at one point. "It's all about LOVE!", exclaims another. The acting is excellent across the board, everyone delivers their lines and interprets their characters beautifully, but when it comes to this particular theme, it's like they knew how important it was to get it just right. It makes me wonder if toxic fans will recognize themselves on the big screen… Do toxic fans know they're being toxic? I don't know, but Scream 5 absolutely nails this dark side of social media. There's a big difference between being a simple fanboy who truly loves something with all their heart and a toxic moviegoer who bullies everyone who dares not worship the same content in the exact same overhyped, exaggerated manner.
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In addition to the entertaining meta dialogue and references, the mystery surrounding who's behind the murders is also well-handled until the very end. The viewers are never fully certain if they can trust a character, despite a part of this "whodunit" being quite predictable from the first act. Nevertheless, the chasing and killing scenes feature extremely gory, bloody, violent deaths, contributing to shocking moments. Bryan Tyler (F9) offers a cool score that perfectly fits Brett Jutkiewicz's (The Black Phone) cinematography, coming together to create some fun, smart jumpscare sequences.
Finally, the cast. Once again, I believe the directors were able to balance the newcomers with the legacy characters quite well. The film makes fun of its polemic, confusing title, so it wasn't a problem to also address the often misleading, mischievous marketing scheme of bringing back iconic actors and their respective characters to secure a strong box-office result. Scream 5 possesses real stakes for everyone involved, so it really makes the audience believe that anyone can die at any moment, consequently generating never-ending suspenseful sequences. David Arquette, Neve Campbell, and Courteney Cox are all remarkable, but the newcomers don't fall behind, especially Melissa Barrera (In the Heights) and Jack Quaid (Rampage).
I really don't have any significant issues to point out. It's a constantly entertaining horror flick from a well-known saga that delivers more than what most viewers anticipate. I firmly believe fans will feel satisfied. It does require the usual suspension of disbelief concerning some killing scenes, how characters survive certain stabs and gunshots, but it's not like the Scream franchise is known for simple, grounded, realistic violence and murders. It's purposefully over-the-top and sometimes silly, but it works beautifully within the movie's reality. The final confrontation goes on for a bit too long, but again, these are very minor nitpicks.
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Final Thoughts
Scream (5) is a brilliant "requel" with cleverly fascinating meta commentary on the horror genre, toxic fandoms, social media, and much more, ultimately becoming a strong contender for this new year's Top10. Boasting a continuously entertaining screenplay filled with exceptionally captivating, relevant dialogue and some of the goriest, bloodiest murders in the famous saga, the directors and writers pay a beautiful homage to the influential creator Wes Craven. The whole cast - both newcomers and icons - delivers remarkable performances, portraying characters who unapologetically address admittedly cinephile-driven topics that some occasional moviegoers might not fully understand but will still receive pure entertainment on the big screen. As a horror-mystery flick, it keeps the viewers on the edge of their seats, laughing and getting jumpscared for the entire runtime. I couldn't recommend it more.
