Movie Synopsis:
“Scream 7” starring Neve Campbell and Isabel May released Friday, Feb. 27 to mixed reviews. This new interation of the horror movie series directed by Kevin Williamson brings the focus back to orginal “final girl” Sidney Evans, formerly Prescott, after previous films push other characters to the spotlight. This time around Sidney’s daughter and friends become the new focus of the Ghostface killer.
Mikey says 1 star:
As someone who loved the original “Scream” trilogy, it has become increasingly depressing to watch this once beloved series turn into a parody of itself. Unfortunately, “Scream 7” is worst installment in the franchise.
The fifth and sixth films took the series in a new direction with the Carpenter sisters. In “Scream 7.” the creative direction changed dramatically after SpyGlass Media fired lead actress Melissa Barrera, who played Sam Carpenter, and Jenna Ortega later left the project as well.
Instead of taking time to refine the story, the studio appears to have rushed the production. The movie feels messy, with a weird element such as an AI subplot that completely disrupts the tone of the movie. The pacing is also some of the worst the franchise has seen.
The unmasking of Ghostface was extremely unsatisfying in this film, since most characters are cleared of suspicion long before the reveal.
The only saving grace of this entire film is the kills, “Scream,” has always delivered some of the most creative deaths in horror, and this film elevates that aspect.
— Michael Pacheco
Quincy says 2 star:
Expectations for the newest slasher entry in the “Scream” franchise weren’t overwhelmingly high, but the film still fell short this year.
Leading up to the release, the production faced several challenges. The abrupt removal of Melissa Barrera, who had becomea new star of the franchise, followed by Jenna Ortega’s quiet leave from the movie, forced the filmmakers to shift the focus. There were some ideas that had potential, like by returning to fan favorite ‘final girl’ Sidney Prescott. However, this film just really seemed like a shell of what fans have come to expect from the series.
The movie wasn’t entirely awful. There were some strong core pieces, including Ghostface being more aggressive this film, even if the plot was loose and unraveled. The biggest issue, however, is that there’s nothing new. Much of the story feels predictable, and the film loses the plot-twist and ‘wow’ factor. That issue becomes even more noticeable during Ghostface’s reveal which is typically one of Scream’s ultimate gripping moments. The reveal was such a letdown and it’s hard to stay immersed in the movie.
— Quincy McQueen
