‘Scream VI’ Is Resoundingly Okay
Another day another Scream movie. The franchise lives on, but is it vibrantly alive? Not so much, but that doesn't preclude the fun one can have seeing Scream VI. The formula of the franchise is recognizable. The film starts with a victim receiving a call from the Ghostface killer. The victim plays a little game, gets killed, smash cut to the title; then everyone breaks down slasher film tropes regarding the slayer's identity. The structure is far beyond recognizable but doesn't render the film unenjoyable. Despite its predictability, there's enough creative variety to be had in Scream VI to warrant an enjoyable time in the theater.
The story starts with a victim getting a phone call from our favorite killer, voiced by Roger Labon Jackson. Yet a clever bit of misdirection makes for some welcome unpredictability. When you think you don't know where the movie is going, it steers itself back into familiarity lane, which isn't entirely a complaint since the Scream formula has been working for decades. Since 1996 characters have been semi-breaking the fourth wall. Having the same conversation about scary movies gets old, yet it stays current enough to be interesting. As franchises age, so do the rules for a slasher movie.
Continuing the story where it left off from Scream V (titled Scream), we follow the tale of two sisters. Sam (Melissa Barrera) and Tara (Jenna Ortega) Carpenter. After surviving the last movie, the girls move from Woodsboro, California, to New York City to study in college. The geographical relocation doesn't keep the girls safe for long as a new killer is out to get them—the who or why is the joy of the mystery. Assisting the sisters is horror movie savant Mindy-Meeks Martin (Jasmin Savoy Brown), reporter/legacy character Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox), rookie detective Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere), and veteran detective Bailey (Dermot Mulroney). Together the team must figure out the dos and donts of slasher flicks to nail Ghostface and survive.
If you haven't seen any of the previous Screams, it can be difficult keeping track of which character is which. The film heavily relies on knowledge from the previous film, which has slipped from this critic's memory. Since the film is a slasher, it's only partially important to be completely updated. All you need to know is these characters have dealt with Ghostface before, and they can handle them again.
Scream differs from most slasher flicks, where the characters aren't forgettable stab fodder. They have enough distinction in their personality to stand out individually. Sam Carpenter continues to process her trauma from the last film while attempting to maintain a new life in Manhattan. Her sister Tara is capable, if not a bit wreckless when trying to move on.
The difference between our two protagonists is clear early in the film. During a party, Tara hooks up with a sleazy guy. Before Tara can engage in intercourse, Sam stops her from going upstairs with the man, fearing something might happen to her. Tara is more able to let go by wanting to live the college life. If she chooses to hook up with someone at a party, it's her right to do so. Meanwhile, Sam is protective of her sibling, stopping her from having a good time.
Writers James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick implement enough twists and turns to keep the audience suspended. The opening kill, in particular, incorporates a unique twist one wouldn't expect. Where the film could go from the beginning twist would have been a welcome change. Unfortunately, the movie settles on what's safe to keep the narrative going. Call me crazy, but the twist in Halloween Ends is a good example of where Scream VI’s story could have gone.
Although in a new location, Scream VI is the same as the other Screams. Despite being placed in New York, the movie spends most of its time in tight apartment complexes and subway stations. Much of the horror in Scream VI stems from smaller locals. One scene that stands out is in a 7-Eleven, where the killer tries to track down Sam and Tara with a shotgun in hand. In the city, the horror slightly elevates itself from Scream's typical suburban setting. Anyone on the subway or in an alley could be Ghostface. No matter where Sam and Tara go, they're not safe.
As hard as it tries to be its own thing, Scream VI is a victim of its franchise’s structure. The film can feel dull at times. How many scenes can someone watch the characters say, "in scary movies, this happens," until it grows tiresome? How often can we unmask the killer in the end until it becomes too stale for audiences to enjoy? Scream VI feels more episodic than important since the same thing can only be done so often.
Scream worked the best because it's the first of its kind. Mass audiences haven't seen a self-conscious horror film before. Furthermore, it's the movie that helped revive Halloween by prominently featuring it. Unapologetically unsubtle in its self-awareness, Scream is a horror that loves to wink at the camera. After six films, the winking is eye rolling. It's not as clever as it first was, but still, a fun time. That is saying something since we're now six films deep. Scream VI isn't great or terrible. It's resoundingly okay. What Scream VI needs isn't a new location. It needs a new formula. Or at least some changes in its recipe.
