Scream 4

Scream 4

2011
Horror
Rated: R
Running Time: 111 minutes
Starring: Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Hayden Panettiere, Allison Brie, Emma Roberts, Anthony Anderson, Adam Brody,
Directed By: Wes Craven
Rating: 3 out of 10

Outline

Sidney Prescott is back but so is the killer Ghostface to try and finish off what he started so many years ago.

Review 

Should movie franchises ever go 4 movies deep? I will let you debate that question amongst yourselves but after viewing Scream 4 I would have to give an emphatic no. This franchise needs a complete overhaul as it is like watching the same movie over and over again. Scream 4 takes place 10 years down the road from Scream 3. Sidney Prescott is back and promoting her new book in the town of Woodsboro. Unfortunately for her the notorious Killer Ghostface is back as well to finish the job of killing Sidney and everyone and anyone remotely close to her.

I actually had high hopes for this film as the start of the movie was neat if not completely scary. However the opening scene was false advertising as the rest of the movie never holds up. These films are always hard to review because director Wes Craven knows what he is doing. What he is all about is making a profit not a good movie. He has a built in following of this franchise and the teenage crowd so why alter anything to make this a good movie. If you have seen one Scream movie you have seen them all but here we go. After the opening scene you are introduced to all the same players that survived the original trilogy plus a fresh crop of new teens. The new crop of teens are basically red shirted Star Trek ensigns and little more than that.  Lets understand something, this movie is not even remotely scary it is more comical and campy. This story has a two prong approach following the path of Sidney Prescott and her cousin Jill. The film is just a tiring watch. Ghostface has the same voice but it has lost its power of dread. He jumps out of random closets and places where he should not be and stabs people, but his sudden appearance has lost its effect. The characters in the film are as dumb as ever going alone to places they never would in real life. Bottom line is the movie is terrible and the scares are nonexistent because this product has hit its point of effectiveness long ago.

The acting is hard to rate as with campy films it is supposed to be suspect. It is cool to see Sidney Prescott back played by Neve Campbell but she looks tired of this role. She has no energy and it is quite noticeable. Gale Weathers and Dewey Riley played by Courtney Cox and David Arquette are also back but forgettable as their characters haven’t even remotely evolved. Lastly the new crop of characters led by such notables as Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, Alison Brie and others are okay and mostly there for look instead of substance as the dialogue is a mess in this.

Bottom line is this movie will only appeal to people who don’t take films even remotely seriously or have never seen a Scream movie before. The killer Ghostface should inspire feelings of fear and tense excitement not feelings of disdain and boredom. You are supposed to try and guess who the killer is not want the move to end. Even the movie itself knows it sucks as it pokes fun at itself from time to time. It shows the spoof movie of the Scream franchise called Stab hitting new heights of awfulness within this film shadowing what it has reached in real life. The characters are cheesy, the killing scenes are standard, and the story is god awful. This franchise is done beyond belief with these players. I will say this though Rob Zombie could probably make a kick ass version of this film. Things that bother me with this film include why after 3 homicidal killing sprees would you ever go back to this town? Why are the FBI not called in? Why are the cops all as believable as Don Knots in uniform? The list goes on and on.

Director Wes Craven has been doing this a long time so it is hard to knock on him. He is smart and caters to his audiences perfectly. It is sad to say he can never bring this franchise to greater glory though as it has run its course. It is like an old pet that needs to be put down but no one can bring themselves to do it. The casting was okay and within reason. The opening scene was solid but the rest of the frights are nonexistent. The ending was just absurd. Craven dialed this film in and he knows it.

I cannot recommend this movie as the scariest thing in it is Courtney Cox’s plastic surgery. This film needs a fresh take or it will never work.

T Factor + This may score way higher on the rating scale if you like campy movies.

T Factor – If you were expecting something original after 10 years this may score lower on the rating scale.

If you liked this film reel recommendations; I Know What you Did Last Summer, Sorority Row.