Scream 4 Review
By: T.J. “don’t fuck with the original” Mulligan
Sometimes you just want to see someone get fucking murdered.
Those of us who are fans of the slasher genre live by this credo, and we all have our favorite perpetrators: Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, Leatherface, Chucky. About 15 years ago a new name was added to this malicious list of homicidal malcontents: Ghostface. Ghostface was original. Not only was he a brand new weapon-wielding maniac who wanted nothing more than to stain his blade with teenage blood, he was also portrayed by a series of actual, mortal, run-of-the-mill (in a manner of speaking) people. In the previous three films of the franchise Billy, Stu, Mickey, Mrs. Loomis and Roman have all donned the mask and cloak in order to quench their seemingly never satisfactory blood lusts. For the last 11 years things have been quiet in Woodsboro, with most of us believing the last shining, pristine images witnessed at the end of Scream 3 spelled the end of the survivors torment and allowed Ghostface to fade into obscurity.
But you can only keep a good slasher down for so long.
Last week saw the release of Scream 4, leading many to wonder what affect more than a decade’s absence would have on the killer, the victims and the franchise itself. Injected with some new blood by a young, fresh-faced cast, can the Scream series still go for the jugular or has time dulled the blade too much?
Scream 4 sees Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), touting a book on her ordeal, returning to her hometown of Woodsboro around the time of the 15th anniversary of the original Ghostface murders. Ghostface has become little more than a local legend around the town, with mainly it’s younger residents celebrating the notoriety the tale has brought to their tiny burg. In the years since, Dewey (David Arquette) has become the sheriff of the town and married Gale (Courtney Cox), who has retired from journalism in an attempt to write fiction. Upon Sidney’s arrival, a murder is committed with all clues pointing to a new Ghostface killer. Not only does Sidney begin being victimized by this killer, but so are her cousin, Jill (Emma Roberts) and Jill’s friends and schoolmates. As the body count continues to mount, Gale turns to the high school’s cinema club for insight into the new rules of the slasher genre. Together and individually they try to uncover the killer’s identy, next move and future victims before it’s curtains for everyone.
The Scream movies have been a continuing source of entertainment regardless of the quality of each particular film, with the first one literally re-writing the genre. If that’s what writer Kevin Williamson and director Wes Craven were hoping to do with this revamp of the series, then they sadly missed the mark with this film. The deaths are graphic without ever being completely original, the characters are just about as clueless as they ever were and, while Ghostface’s identity is never overtly obvious, those who it definitely won’t be are. That does not, however, mean that this wasn’t a thoroughly entertaining movie.
While Scream 4 never really changes the rules or breaks the mold of the genre, it certainly helps cement it’s unique place within it. With this film, the series, which has always featured it’s fair share of self-referentiality, does all but break the fourth wall in it’s allusion to itself. As a viewer you often find yourself very aware that you are watching a movie, with the movie itself cluing you in to the fact, but it never stops being fun. With each cheesy line of dialogue, blood-splattered, knife-ravaged hottie and imbecilic character making bone-headed decisions, the viewer just eats it up. As much as the movie is aware of what it is, the audience is aware of it’s part within the show as well. We are then charged with yelling such phrases as “Why’d you go in there?” and “Oh, hell nah” (even if just in our heads, out of respect for the other theatergoers, of course) at the characters as if they can hear our impassioned cries and make decisions accordingly. And part of the fun is in seeing them fail to make the “obvious” decision, usually resulting in their immediate and gory demise.
The fact is, with this movie, you either love it or hate it for what it is: a mystery/horror/comedy/dinner theater-esque experience that’s nostalgic enough to sate your pining and new enough to keep you watching.
I give Scream 4 3 “Bitch, get out the room!” moments out of 5.
