“Do you like scary movies?”  Scream (1996)

I do like “scary movies” and many cult classics. Do I like Scream VI? I am neutral on that question. Scream VI is a film where the franchise does not stop its nostalgic and repetitive trends terror. The scary phone calls still come when expected. There is a killing jump in the storyline.  I found this movie to be a blur as it is a continuation of Scream (technically Scream V, but they still call it Scream), with no big changes or shocking realizations. I do not think these films should continue since the original director Wes Craven is dead. Sadly, the originality is lacking given the new direction in Scream VI.

In Scream VI, the survivors from the last film are back. They have gone through trauma, seen  harsh killings, and now they must contend with new terror in Scream VI. Sam Carpenter (played by Melissa Barrera), Mindy Meeks-Martin (played by Jasmin Savoy Brown), Chad Meeks-Martin (played by Mason Gooding), Tara Carpenter (played by Jenna Ortega), Kirby Reed (played by Hayden Panettiere), and finally Gale Weathers (played by Courteney Cox) are all back for a new terror. The new faces in the realm of the killing trail are Ethan (played by Jack Champion), Quinn Bailey (played by Liana Liberato), Detective Bailey (played by Dermot Mulroney), Anika (played by Devyn Nekoda), Jason Carvey (played by Tony Revolori), Danny Brackett (played by Josh Segarra), and Laura Crane (played by Samara Weaving). With returning victims and new characters, the trails of Woodsboro and New York are chilling with deaths by the Ghostface killer once again. But how many of them are there? Scream VI dives into a storyline that tries to add more emphasis on the evolution from the previous films.

There is a considerable amount of boredom with Scream VI as it relies on constant repeats from the franchise. There is a great deal of extended violence, but is it exhilarating? Not to the extent I was anticipating. Without David Arquette as Dewey Riley, the momentum of Scream VI hits a plateau. The previous gems of this franchise which included giggles, shocks, and awes have become a downward spiral resulting in a deteriorating experience.

There are no chills and there are no entertaining realizations in part due to different directors. The plot all comes down to how a film like this sells rather than structuring the storyline. I am sorry, but with horror, there needs to be structure. Some may be excited by numerous kills or creepy moments, but there should be an established progression. I did not experience any rewarding concept in Scream VI.  While it keeps the momentum of twists and kills, believe me, they are not very surprising or worthwhile. There is no poetic approach, and I don’t know how anyone could view this film as revolutionary. Its continuity is as stale as Scream in 2022 which again was really Scream V causing much confusion for audiences in this mess of a franchise.

In all honesty, anyone can be the killer. The line up of characters is not serious and the kills seem to happen at any given moment. The good and bad characters also have secrets up their sleeves.  It is like the director only cares about shock and awe. The enthralling factors in Scream VI are way below my entertainment expectations for a horror experience.

As I elaborate on how this franchise’s continuation is annoying, I still have a small amount of appreciation for Scream VI. It is a horror film franchise that has continued over the years which is somewhat fascinating. It is always fun to learn that characters in films find serious situations to be a joke based on what they see in the movies. The film has a comedic thread and connection between the main characters who are eventually the next target of a killing spree. I do appreciate how the humorous aspect has truly grown as the franchise has evolved. I just hope that somehow  Scream VI becomes a relic, because this film fails to be successful at all with its attempt to deliver horror for its audience. One-half star for Scream VI.