Scream 7
review by Bobby Blakey
Back in 1996 the late horror icon Wes Craven teamed up with writer Kevin Williamson to change the slasher genre with Scream. Since then, the series has spawned 3 sequels in 1997, 2000 and 2011 as well as a TV series that ran for 3 seasons before kicking off a reboot/sequel with Scream in 2022 and Scream VI in 2023. The original planned 7th film has gone through numerous issues with casting drama and directors leaving the project.
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Kevin Williamson himself eventually stepped into the director’s chair for the new film and is also bringing back series star Neve Campbell once again who sat out the last installment after numerous issues. The next chapter features both returning and new cast including Courteney Cox, Isabel May, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Anna Camp, Joel McHale, Mckenna Grace, Michelle Randolph, Jimmy Tatro, Asa Germann, Celeste O’Connor, Sam Rechner, Ethan Embry, Tim Simons and Mark Consuelos.
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Scream 7 follows Sidney Prescott who has built a new life, but her darkest fears are realized as her daughter becomes the next target when a new Ghostface killer emerges in the quiet town. Determined to protect her family, Sidney must face the horrors of her past to put an end to the bloodshed once and for all.
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I know there are ups and downs in this franchise like most series like this, but I love these films. Each of them has not only found new ways to evolve the story but have also evolved with technology and time throughout the years to keep it relevant no matter how ridiculous they might get. This time around the return of Sidney is just one aspect of bringing things back to the legacy of the series, but they have crafted a story that mentions or pays homage to every single film in the franchise as apart of the place to where Sidney and her daughter are now.
The previous film showed that they could still work without Sidney, but she is
the face of the franchise and getting to dive into her new life was a great place to take the story. It sets new stakes while bringing plenty of familiar moments that create déjà vu to the original film without just rehashing it. The same formula is in place, so you know what you are walking into and it isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, but there is a different overall direction that might not work for everyone. I figured out one of the killers easily, but it wasn’t completely in the way I thought it was going to be. To be honest, the finale reveal was a bit anticlimactic but also fits with the long-term tone and effects of this franchise.
There are a couple of big reveals with one being way sooner than I expected instantly taking the series in a new direction. Much like the previous film, this Ghostface is way more aggressive and brutal with its kills. They are a lot more creative and bloody this time around which is saying a lot. I love the elevated aggression of each Ghostface that tends to match the reasoning behind each of the killers’ behaviors and reasoning. Some of the CGI used in the killings is not great early on, but it corrects it and looks way better for most of the film.
This outing allows the legacy characters that are still around to get front and center once again while bringing more into the fold, but as this franchise proves, no one is safe. I honestly think this is a great ending to the franchise, but we all know if it is the success they hope for there is always a chance of returning to the world of Ghostface. Until then be sure to rewatch all the films before divining into this latest outing so you can get all the easter eggs and fun of the execution here that is clearly for fans that have been here since the beginning.
Decide for yourself and check out Scream 7 in theaters now from Paramount.