Sunday, April 17, 2011

MOVIE REVIEW … SCREAM 4

 

As a master at re-energising the horror genre, much is always expected of Director Wes Craven.  With hits such as A Nightmare on Elm Street and the first Scream, both proved cinematic water-sheds.  Perhaps it’s somewhat disappointing that he returns to the Scream franchise for its fourth outing.  Not that it isn’t any good, it’s just with such an unbound imagination, Craven has the skills to really raise the bar in his chosen genre.  While Scream 4 isn’t the height of his imagination it’s a serviceable reminder of part of his amazing talents.

Having spent several years in idyll after the horrific Woodsboro killings, Sydney Prescott (Neve Campbell) returns to her home-town.  Now a successful writer, she encounters friends Dewey (David Arquette) and Gale (Courtney Cox).  Reminiscing about the murders, little do they know a new killer lurks in the shadows – targeting Sydney’s cousin Jill (Emma Roberts).  Cutting a swathe through the township, the Ghostface killer runs rings around its victims who have to learn to fight back in order to escape the tip of the killer’s blade.

A golden rule of any horror movie is that it has to scare audiences.  Scream 4 only occasionally does this with the blend of comedic thrills not quite working.  Basically following the previous formula, the energy level seems flat – as if it was made to satisfy a contract and not an audience.  Given much behind the scenes drama occurred during its making with endless re-writes perhaps this isn’t a surprise.  It does have fun knocking its many imitators however even if a lack of genuine character moments hurt proceedings.

Instead of constantly referencing its past, Scream 4 would have benefited from being its own film.  There isn’t a sense of it attempting to bring in new fans – just pandering to old ones.  This isn’t the right way of starting a new trilogy – as which it has been advertised.  Scream 4 is pleasingly old fashioned in approach however with a human villain much scarier than any otherworldly ghoul.  The mix of returning and new actors works fairly well with a clever ending signalling Craven still can offer something new from his wicked bag of tricks.

With the news Scream 5 is in the works, it appears this franchise will continue.  Hopefully the next outing will have a strong spring in its step so as to ensure diminishing returns do not kill off this usually fiendishly fun series.

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Movie Review Rating 6 / 10

Movie Review by Patrick Moore

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