MAINE, USA — [Editor's note: This article is a critical analysis of a film and does not represent the views of NEWS CENTER Maine, but that of the author.]
Hot off the heels of 2022's "Scream," a new entry in the horror franchise brings back familiar survivors to try and survive a new string of attacks from Ghostface.
"Scream VI" wears its age proudly and shows there are still plenty of deadly thrills in the series.
Story
"Scream" got its start back in 1996 and quickly branded itself as a meta-commentary on horror movies, mixing in elements of a slasher film with a classic mystery.
It was followed up with sequels in 1997, 2000, 2011, 2022, and now, this weekend.
All the movies featured a masked killer (or killers) named Ghostface trying to kill lead heroine Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), deputy Dewey Riley (David Arquette), and reporter Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox).
But by "Scream VI," Dewey is dead, and Campbell chose not to return after reportedly not being offered enough money.
That leaves Weathers as the sole survivor returning from the original movies, along with sisters Sam (Melissa Barrera) and Tara (Jenna Ortega) who take over the lead roles as the newest victims being hunted by Ghostface. Other survivors from "Scream 4" and the fifth "Scream" return as well.
"Scream VI" shifts the setting from the infamous small town of Woodsboro to New York City. It's here a new Ghostface appears to try and do what other killers before them failed to accomplish. . . murder Sam, Gale, and their family of traumatized survivors.
And that's really all that can be said of the story without venturing into the territory of spoilers.
Analysis
Anyone who worried about how "Scream VI" would fare without its famed protagonist, Sidney, should put their minds at ease. Sam and Tara are more than capable of picking up the torch and running with it.
"Scream VI" continues the trend started by the previous entry of shifting this franchise from meta-commentary on slasher movies to more of an action thriller film. And that's a necessary evolution for a series few probably thought would make it to movie number six.
In a way, the identity of Ghostface becomes a little less relevant, as do the main characters' connections to the first movie. With those constraints loosened a bit, the film can dedicate more time to character development, handling the consequences of long-term trauma, the way killers increasingly make use of technology, and more.
This latest entry really plays up the idea of found family, with all the survivors bonded over past trauma. And that's the advantage of a series sticking around for six films, each building on what came before. There's a wide roster of characters to choose from and mold into this little family of people trying to survive being targetted by sadistic killers.
New York City makes for a fun new playground of scares here in a way "Jason Takes Manhattan" never could. The way Ghostface can make a kill and then disappear into a crowd of people celebrating Halloween makes for some big thrills. There are dark alleys, skyscrapers, packed subway cars, and so many places for a killer to appear and vanish.
There's no shortage of thrills and gore that longtime "Scream" fans will appreciate from start to finish as viewers try to figure out if their favorite character will survive to the end credits.
Also playing this week
Fans of "Jurassic Park" will be thrilled to learn there's a new science fiction movie about dinosaurs opening in theaters this weekend. It's called "65" and stars Adam Driver. Watch the trailer below.
To see which movies are playing at a theater near you, click here.
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