Only one year after the return of Ghostface, we're back with another entry into the classic horror franchise...
Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett
Starring: Jenna Ortega, Courtney Cox, Hayden Panettiere
Running time: 122 minutes
Over the course of the Scream franchise, it has continued to take a long, hard look at itself. Constantly remaining self-reflexive. It stares at itself so intensely into the mirror that you can’t help but do the same to yourself as an audience member: “Why the hell do I watch these films?” or “What more could I possibly want from them?”
I’m unlikely alone in revering Scream (1996) as a personal favourite horror film, much to Ghostface’s elation. No one else did it like Wes Craven: it was playful, subversive, well crafted, meta, self-critical, and genuinely scary all at the same time. With every new Scream film that comes out I keep wanting to experience that same subversion and unexpected narrative just like I did that very first time. It’s a big and potentially impossible demand but Scream VI is certainly the most excited I’ve been for a Scream film for a while.
Sam and Tara (Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega respectively) are in New York City to get away from their violent and terror-ridden history that took place in Woodsboro. But the terror follows them to New York City, unsurprisingly they once again find themselves fighting for their lives from yet another Ghostface impersonator. A lot of the Scream tropes are back on display: a violent opening sequence, a mysterious whodunnit plot, and the meta scene that explains the rules of the new entry. The trilogy is long gone, the requel is old news, and the fourth one… came after the third. What VI adds to the canon is that all films now officially accumulate into a franchise. Which, according to the Rules, anyone, including legacy characters and main protagonists, can die.
Ghostface’s mask is the same, but the killer’s mannerisms really feel like a new threat. They feel more chaotic.
Now, I love the rules scene, it’s one of my favourites in horror cinema. However, as the franchise goes on it feels less like an intelligent way of trying to strengthen the chances of the protagonists’ survival by foreshadowing the film, and more like a mechanism to assure the audience that the characters are in actual jeopardy. Paraphrasing, the horror nerd character explains that now that the films are part of a franchise, and whatever character you are holds no weight. “Even legacy characters and the main protagonists can die”. The notion of telling the audience that legacy characters can die seems unnecessary. Plus, Scream 4’s additional rule was that “the unexpected is the new cliche”. If you must explain the reason why the audience should be afraid, then surely something has missed the mark. But despite some poor choice of phrasing, the films atmosphere does feel like any character could die which adds a great level of tension.
All that said, Scream VI is one of my favourite Scream films so far. Ghostface’s mask is the same, but the killer’s mannerisms really feel like a new threat. They feel more chaotic. There’s a sense of anger and immediacy that comes with this killer, they have an agenda that isn’t just about taunting the protagonists long enough for them to run off. When Ghostface bursts onto screen it feels like anything can happen. There’s a scene early on in a convenience store which ripped apart any expectations I had for the killer and perfectly set up the rest of the film for me.
The characters find themselves in a tense situation and have no choice but to create alliances with a myriad of untrustworthy people. Half the city dresses as Ghostface for Halloween because the city is packed with horrible people that lack taste. Adding to the already dire situation, the internet makes a villain out of Sam with viral rumours claiming that she is really the Ghostface killer. It’s brilliantly isolating and the moods between each protagonist change in an instant as the feeling of being truly alone encroaches on them. But on top of the horror, it is also able to tap into franchise's signature comedy. It has some of the slickest one-liners of the entire series which adds just enough playfulness to this wild franchise without slipping into the parodic nature of Scary Movie.
One of the scariest things about this franchise is that they will continue to churn out more films just to cash-grab but, that’s the thing about this franchise, once you unmask the film you could be met with something utterly brilliant, even if it could also stab you in the back.
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