Scream 7 was recently released in cinemas and has mixed reviews, many of which are negative; however, there are also a lot of positive takes on the movie.
Alas, Film News Blitz’s Jonathon House sits on the negative side of the Scream 7 scale.
Setting the scene
There was a backlash before Scream 7 even came out, with the firing of actress Melissa Barrera due to her comments on the Israel/Palestine conflict.
Fans were left angry and upset as Scream 5 was set up as a new saga within the horror franchise.
It no longer focused on Sidney Prescott, but instead followed a new set of characters, led by Barrera and Netflix darling Jenna Ortega.
Scream 7 happened regardless, making Sidney, played by Neve Campbell, the lead once more, and introducing her daughter, Tatum, played by Isabel May.
Courtney Cox, who plays Gale Weathers, also made a return, making her the only actress who has appeared in every Scream movie.
Another thing that surprised fans was the return of Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Chad (Mason Gooding), especially since Barrera and Ortega’s characters, Sam and Tara, were absent.
‘Scream 7’ gets off to a strong start
First, I thought the opening scene of Scream 7 was great.
The effects were amazing, the kills were impactful, and it all happening in fan favourite Stu Machers’ house was a great touch.
His house being turned into a horror Airbnb was the type of fan service that works really well.
Setting the stage in such an enthralling fashion had me hopeful for the rest of the film.
But as the movie went on, I found myself zoning out, something I never thought I’d say about a Scream movie.
The first half after the opening scene was okay, but I just felt like it was missing something and didn’t feel like a Scream movie should.
New characters fail to make an impact
Many of the new characters I didn’t really care for, such as Sidney’s daughter, Tatum.
I felt like the writing did not do May’s character any good at all, with Tatum deserving more depth and involvement.
Barrera’s character from the previous two instalments, for example, was a lead that didn’t feel like a Prescott rip-off; she felt like her own character to me, which I think is where Tatum was lacking.
Again, with some of the other new characters, like Anna Camp’s Jessica, it was a case of the new additions failing to click.
Jessica’s son, Lucas (Asa Germann), had a lot of potential, and so did Ben (Sam Rechner), Tatum’s boyfriend, but the script left both underserved.
One positive part of the ensemble was Mindy and Chad, a curiosity in the absence of Sam and Tara, but a welcome comedic influence.
Cox and Campbell’s core franchise characters were great as always, as was Sidney’s husband, Mark, too.
The return of Stu, in circumstances I won’t disclose here, lifted every scene he appeared in.
Matthew Lillard gave a great performance, as he always does, and it worked well to have his character return.
What I liked about ‘Scream 7’
A major positive was the gore of Scream 7, with some of the best kills we have seen in the franchise.
They were brutal, like how kills in a Scream movie should be, and Ghostface was the most violent we have seen him in a long time.
I also liked the comedy, an important aspect in a Scream movie.
Mindy and Chad helped in that regard, but with the new characters, the comedy was there too, which was a bonus.
What didn’t work
The plot of Scream 7 was a little all over the place and didn’t really make sense, and the movie felt rushed.
Certain story beats would have benefited from a bit of expansion to make this better.
The opening scene made it look like Ghostface was going to be different this time around, and even though the motives were slightly different, they didn’t particularly make sense.
The Ghostface reveal seemed pointless, with different characters feeling like better options than what the film opted for.
As a result, it didn’t feel like a Scream movie reveal to me at all.
Overall, the film felt rushed and with more time and thought, it could have been a lot better, as things started off so well.
Unfortunately, after the opening scene, everything went downhill.
For me, this sits as one of the weaker Scream movies, and if there is a Scream 8 on the way, there is a lot to improve on.
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