Scream 7 

Slasher Trash with Panache?

Review:  JA Kerswell

The seventh SCREAM instalment is an uneven but often highly entertaining burst of slasher chaos. Once again, Sidney Prescott (played by a returning Neve Campbell) is the target of the iconic masked villain (or villains), with anyone in her orbit also a potential victim of Ghostface. Kevin Williamson makes a welcome return to the series, but is damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t when it comes to a balance between satire and horror. Choosing to focus more on the latter, the action is fast-paced and well-executed, but is ultimately let down by a somewhat damp-squib of an ending.
 
Trying to move on from her past, Sidney (under her married name Evans) is back in small-town Americana; she has built a new life running a coffee shop, living with her police officer husband (Joel McHale) and their children, including her 17-year-old daughter Tatum (Isabel May) (who she named after her slain best friend from the first film). However, her hard-earned peaceful life is shattered when she receives a video call from what appears to be a former nemesis, Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard), who threatens her and her family with unfinished bloody business. Wily enough, she suspects that it isn’t really her old frenemy, but rather a deepfake. Nevertheless, after people start dying for real, she takes the threats to her family seriously. When Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox returning in a doozy of a scene) arrives sniffing out a story, the two reconnect to try and unmask this season’s Ghostface before the Munch maniac(s) can hack and slash their way through her newly adopted hometown and family …
 
Although still very violent, SCREAM 7 is arguably less misanthropically brutal than some previous entries, and Williamson wisely indulges the glee that blooms in the hearts of every ‘80s gorehound with a couple of outlandish splatter-movie deaths, including a standout gross-out moment with an upended ballerina spilling her guts, swinging across a theatre stage.  Perhaps realising that many current fans of the series will not be as well-versed in classic '80s slasher movies as viewers of the 1996 first film were, Williamson demonstrates his love for the genre in a more subtle way than in previous entries. Well, if you can call a teenager being turned into a human beer tap subtle (a nice nod to the shower nozzle murder in MY BLOODY VALENTINE (1981)). 

Critics have tended to criticise this entry for the perceived dulling of Williamson’s satirical blade, but—at least to me—the self-referential humour is the least satisfying aspect of SCREAM 7. It seems that it may have been a deliberate choice to downplay it. It is certainly present—highlighted by the clever opening sequence at an AirBnB-from-Hell in Stu Macher’s old house and Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown), the cub reporter’s Gen Z Miss Marple—but the focus remains on the slasher action, and Williamson clearly has a talent for crafting thrilling set pieces. While comedic elements tend to be less effective with repetition, a good slasher film is like a roller coaster—despite knowing what to expect, it can still deliver an exhilarating ride if executed well. And SCREAM 7 delivers fast-paced twists and turns. 
 
However, perhaps surprisingly, since the director is also well known for the teen drama DAWSON’S CREEK, after the brauvara opening sequence, the film dips with the introduction of its rather thinly drawn teenage protagonists. The relationship between Sidney and Tatum is handled better, with the mother trying to protect her daughter by shielding her from the past and preventing her from repeating the mistakes she made. There is definitely a sense of a baton passing being set up here, but Sidney is emphatic that she is not a washed-up Final Girl, suggesting that this won’t be her last tango with terror. Further hinting that Williamson is less interested in humour than horror, even Joel McHale plays his role with barely a wink.
 
SCREAM 7’s best new idea is to exploit the current fascination and distrust of AI, especially deepfakes. It’s a clever conceit that allows several actors from previous entries to make appearances in the film. It also offers the tantalising possibility that a major character is truly back from the dead (something likely to be explored in a later entry, I’m sure, if Williamson is happy to take a page from some of the more outlandish ‘80s slashers). Perhaps surprisingly, an admittedly slightly frail-looking Courtney Cox’s Gale Weathers is largely sidelined during the film’s climax. Although that is probably likely to allow Neve Campbell to have the spotlight after sitting out the last entry (and who actually looks like she wants to be here, unlike her truncated appearance in SCREAM (5) (2022)). However, beyond the excellent set pieces, the film stumbles somewhat in its final half hour. The script makes some baffling, clumsy choices (including one character being rumbled making deepfake videos threatening Sidney, who turns out to be innocent and is slaughtered by Ghostface). Then there’s that town centre under curfew that somehow remains free of police presence. And, of course, certain characters can survive multiple stabs to the chest, but that’s just the physiology of the series, I guess. One of the biggest criticisms of this sequel is the reveal of the killer or killers’ motives (which I won’t spoil here), but it's admittedly pretty weak sauce. It is also surprising that the movie makes the cardinal mistake of introducing a semi-known face in what seems like a minor, fleeting role, who any seasoned viewer knows will likely pop up in the final reel.
 
Despite its slightly bloated running time (do we really want a nearly 2-hour-long slasher movie?), there is still much to commend in SCREAM 7. When it hits its stride with pulse-pounding chase and action scenes, the franchise remains at the top of its slasher game, but hopefully the next instalment (a certainty, given this film’s impressive box office) will stick the landing more effectively. Or at least craft a self-referential joke satirising weak-ass motives. 

BODY COUNT 10: 
Female 4 / Male 6

1. Male stabbed in the chest and head
2. Female impaled on a knife
3. Male found with his throat slit
4. Female is gutted
5. Male is run over by a car
6. Female has her throat pierced with broken glass
7. Male stabbed and then his head impaled on a beer tap
8. Male stabbed repeatedly
9. Male is shot in the head
10. Female stabbed repeatedly and then shot multiple times

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