scream 7

For some, the arrival of Scream 7 has been about as palatable as a straight swig of vinegar. The controversial ousting of star Melissa Barrera cast an unfortunate cloud over the project, sending turbulent fissures through the fanbase, though the film’s resounding box office success would indicate, yet again, that social media rarely echoes reality. Barrera - alongside fellow departed co-star Jenna Ortega - stood out impressively in both Scream 5 and 6, ushering in a reinvigorated Gen-Z-flavored era for the franchise. That being said, it’s hard to deny the nostalgic gratification of watching Neve Campbell assume her rightful place as the iconic face - and fiercely beating heart - of the long-running horror series. Coke’s seasonal flavors are a welcome variation, but one always finds their way back to the classic formula. 

Following an appreciably nasty opening sequence - in which a pair of glorified Abercrombie models meet their end at the Macher house (transformed into some sort of Ghostface-themed Airbnb experience) - the story shifts to Pine Grove, where Sidney is living a life of unassuming domestic normalcy with her husband Mark (Joel McHale, an odd choice) and teenage daughter Tatum (Isabel May). Scream 7 proves better positioned to explore the concept of generational bloodlines that Scream 4 notably attempted with Sidney’s cousin Jill… but the mother/daughter dynamic is richer, more natural. “Your daughter is the same age as you were when this thing started,” Gale (Courteney Cox) remarks, none-too-subtly. Tatum resents the fact that her mother is a closed book, in spite of her personal lore being publicly splashed all over the Stab series, and sees her overprotectiveness as a frustrating sabotage of her own potential autonomy. “I don’t want to end up like the other Tatum,” she complains (referencing her Rose McGowan-portrayed namesake in the original). “You named me after a girl who got her head crushed in a garage door. She was a victim, not a fighter. I want to be a fighter.” Naturally, the arrival of a new Ghostface and the initiation of a fresh killing spree brings such frictions to a swift head.

Perhaps as a means of damage control more than anything, original scribe Kevin Williamson was recruited to the director’s chair, even though his only filmmaking credit was the largely forgotten 1999 black comic misfire Teaching Mrs. Tingle. While Scream 7’s visual look is undistinguished, its sense of staging is sharp. Ghostface’s blade feels extra serrated this time. A kill in the high school auditorium - its victim suspended helplessly above the stage in a ceiling harness - takes on the operatic flair of a giallo picture. The teen fodder itself elicits mixed reactions. Tatum has a pair of BFFs (both played, for some reason, by Ghostbuster alums in Mckenna Grace and Celeste O’Connor… the former arguably far more of a rising star at this point than this sidekick role would normally warrant) and a generic boyfriend who gives off the sort of sketchy vibes that cause Sidney’s arm hairs to prickle defensively (Gen-V’s Asa Germann rounds things out as the creepy boy-next-door with a fixation on all things Woodsboro). Eventually Gale arrives for one more rodeo with the Meeks-Martin twins (Mason Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown) in tow. The duo’s return proves more than welcome; their snappy banter and fraternal chemistry injects a much-needed burst of personality into a relatively dull slate of teen characters.

For the majority of its runtime, Scream 7 proves a relatively sturdy and well-executed slasher. The issue, of course, is that Scream has traditionally aspired to more than basic competence… and it turns out that the reliably clever Williamson simply has no rabbit to pull out of his hat this time, no ace card tucked up his sleeve. There are no fresh meta flourishes or new horror trends to exploit, other than an obvious AI angle that’s mostly an excuse for cheap fan service. The reveal of the killer is an astounding nothingburger - the climax wilts faster than day-old lettuce. That the film works at all is a testament to Campbell. Truly front and center for the first time since the original trilogy, the actress makes a point of driving home just how much she was missed in Scream 6. In the Final Girl Pantheon, Campbell has traditionally ranked as the 1B to Jamie Lee Curtis’s 1A, but it might be time to reassess. Her three-decade run as Sidney Prescott is unheard of in the genre… and, now gracefully wearing her middle age, she continues to find fresh dimensions in a character she originally brought to life as a teenager. The crown is now hers. There are many who will snicker at the inevitable prospect of Scream 8 - and the creative fumes this entry is running on by the end would suggest a decent respite might be in order - but as long as Campbell is game, by all means, keep on resurrecting Ghostface for one more reign of terror.