Movie Review – Scream (2022) – Horror Movie Slickly Made
Table of Contents
My Rating – 3 out of 5
Plot Summary (Storyline) – Scream (2022)
Another day, another remake, another horror movie! Well, this one’s quite well-made, as much as slasher flicks can be! The original Scream, released in 1996 and followed by four more sequels, has left quite a fan following behind. The 2022 version is a nod to the original and despite the plethora of horror movies that have graced the screen, this still manages to leave its distinct impression on the audience. One reason is that the director duo of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett have walked their own distinct path, without trying to ape the original, though at the same time, linking both films together quite smartly. Even characters from the original movie have not taken over the reins at all.
Like in the original, this also starts with a phone call to a single girl in an otherwise empty house and the killer plays a game with her – a psychological torture act which is done very well. The girl, Tara (Jenna Ortega), survives the ordeal and is left for dead but this is just the beginning for the residents of Woodsboro, California – having to relive the devastating murder spree from 25 years ago. Tara’s survival brings her estranged elder sister Samantha (Melissa Barrera) to town, with her boyfriend Richie (Jack Quaid) in tow, ostensibly to take care of the injured Tara. Neither Tara nor the others in town take kindly to this homecoming and still hold Sam guilty of desertion.
Even Amber (Mikey Madison), Tara’s best friend, is sceptical of Sam’s motives in coming back and provides significant pushback to Sam, trying to keep her out of Tara’s life. Meanwhile, seeing that the Ghostface murderer is back, Sam contacts Dewey (David Arquette), now an ex-cop. But Dewey refuses to be drawn in, his escape from the hands of Ghostface, 25 years ago, is still fresh in his mind. But he informs Sidney (Neve Campbell) and Gale (Courtney Cox) – both survivors like him from the original Scream – asking them to come back to Woodsboro as Ghostface is back. Gale is willing but Sidney is not as her connection to the original Ghostface murderer is still raw in her mind.
But eventually, they do come to town and try to help the traumatised Sam and Tara, but everybody now seems to realize that there may be more than one killer and it very obviously, is one among them. In the maddening rush to the climax that ensues henceforth, the story moves rapidly and masks start coming off (literally and figuratively!). The star turn by the trio from the 1996 original is effective but not overbearing. The directors don’t allow them any scope to take over the narrative or hijack screen time, they are just there to build a bridge from the original to the latest sequel. It is to the director duo’s credit that they have told a new story.
The story is new but remains within the framework of the original, cleverly merging the two together with the new cast and members. You can get a bit nostalgic if you remember that the original 1996 film was a bit of a runaway “hit’ and this one though not quite there, it’s still a good movie to watch on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Conclusion – Movie review of Scream (2022)
Like I’ve been saying in all the above paragraphs, it was a distinct possibility that the star trio from the 1996 original, could try to throw the weight required and see where they could take over the movie. But that didn’t happen and they act as three props to an otherwise strong building. The new entrants to this version of the original have all done a commendable job as bewildered and confused victims and aid tremendously in building up the atmosphere. Overall, it is a good watch and I strongly recommend the readers to watch it if you haven’t already.
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