Scream was released in 1996, which makes the new 2022 movie a celebration of its 26th anniversary. Presumably, the plan was to launch Scream 5 in 2021, but the pandemic probably pushed things back. That's okay because fans are ready and eager to go see it. The last movie was in 2011 so it has been quite some time.
A great way to get pumped for Scream 5 would be to marathon the previous four titles. They all hold up to varying degrees, but the original might still be king. Scream was unique for its time and remains a shining beacon in the horror and slasher film genres. It's also a fun whodunit mystery. Who is Ghostface?
There will be spoilers in this breakdown for the original trilogy.
6 The Meta Rules
The best thing Scream and the sequels do best is meta-jokes. It’s a slasher series that pokes fun at itself and its genre while still taking its stories seriously. It can be a hard thing to balance but Scream does it surprisingly well. It feels fresh decades later and that’s because of the rules.
These rules are mostly stated by Randy. Horror fans can easily get behind his warnings because they are all cliche. Even the killers tease some good rules not to break. Don’t have sex, drink, or do drugs; that’s the main three. Then there is also the idea that anyone can be a suspect, motives are meaningless, and no one should investigate a strange noise.
5 Timeless
Scream looks great whether fans watch it on DVD, Blu-ray, or stream it on a subscription service. It was shot well with a lot of good, varied locations to make the town of Woodsboro feel real. The effects should also be praised. Nowadays, it’s more common to see digital blood in movies or high CG effects. As good as the Marvel films are, their reliance on special effects could hurt them in the long run.
Imagine how timeless a Rocket Raccoon or Groot puppet would look a decade from now compared to their current CG profile. Practicality in filmmaking allows movies like Scream to stand the test of time. The only thing that makes the slasher flick a little less timeless is the lack of internet and cellphones. Fashion in Scream may also throw people off.
4 The Acting
Most of the acting in Scream still holds up. Courtney Cox steals the show as Gale Weathers, and her character works well for a horror movie that is also a mystery. Detectives and reporters have a lot in common in media. One just has a giant camera with them at all times.
The only standout that is a bit hard to watch is Matthew Lillard as Stu. The point of his character is to be annoying, which he is, but it’s a little too over the top. It almost feels like his character is from another era. Lillard is far from a bad actor, but Stu just throws some of the scenes off with his “whoa dude” persona.
3 The Kills
Scream's kills deliver plenty of good payoffs. Some of the scenes are cheesy and don’t make a lot of sense but they still create fun and thrilling moments. For example, Tatum goes out to the garage to get some beer. A Ghostface killer is standing in her way but she assumes someone is playing a prank.
So, Tatum goes along with it and acts as a damsel in distress only to become a real victim moments later. Her garage death is the most brutal scene in the original Scream. The intro with Casey is also great. It creates the mood for what viewers should expect from Scream. All good horror movies should do this.
2 The Fake-outs
The reason why the mystery holds up so well in Scream is that the story goes out of its way to put suspicion on everyone. That’s one of Randy’s rules he establishes in the video store with Stu. Everyone can be a killer because motives can be meaningless. As much as this is a horror movie, it’s also a great whodunit premise.
It’s just a little more gory and silly than most mysteries tend to be. One of the funniest false leads is Principal Himbry. The way he cuts the air in front of his students with his scissors is magical thanks to the turned-up sound effects.
1 The Setups For The Sequel
Not all movies are lucky enough to get a sequel. Still, on the off chance that there is a sequel, some movies try to set things up for a follow-up. Scream is no exception. Two of the biggest mysteries left hanging are Sidney’s mom and her so-called killer, Cotton. He is shown on TV very briefly. He’s played by Liev Schreiber who wasn’t a huge name at the time.
He was still known enough to make viewers take notice that it was him on the grainy news footage. It was a nice touch that would be paid off well in the sequels. Overall, Scream does a good job with world-building. This can be one of the most important things a horror movie can do, and it doesn't have to be elaborate either. Simply leaving a literal door open, like in Scream 3, is enough.
