Film Review: Scream 7

Review by Daz Gale

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Most nights you will find me in a theatre reviewing any number of plays and musicals, so I don't get to enjoy trips to a very different kind of theatre as often as I'd like, despite a lifelong love of movies. When it comes to the Scream franchise, it holds a special place in my heart, from discreetly watching the first film without my parents’ knowledge when I was far too young to writing about it years later for a university project. Though much has changed in the 30 years since the original premiered, one thing that has remained was my love for the films, ensuring I see every new installment as soon as they are released. That is why I jumped at the chance to attend an advance screening of the latest movie, Scream 7, though not the kind of jump this series is famous for. With the most recent entries receiving a mixed response and the latest surrounded by controversy, would this be another killer addition to the series, or would it be dead on arrival?

I should preface this review by saying this will be spoiler-free. There are aspects of Scream 7 that are designed to surprise and delight fans of the franchise, and I will not be ruining that for anyone. Anything that is revealed here has already been announced, or used in the marketing for the movie. After being absent from the last movie, the series’ most iconic final girl, Sidney Prescott, returns as the action takes the audience to her new life in a quiet town. When a new Ghostface killer emerges and begins targeting her daughter, Tatum, Sidney has to confront the horrors of her past and do what it takes to protect her family, as she attempts to stop the killings once and for all.

Though Scream 6 was a fairly solid movie, the absence of Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott was hugely felt - though the series has centred around several main characters, Sidney feels synonymous to the Scream series. Her return immediately gives a sense of familiarity and reassurance for the series that has suffered from a messy few years in development since Scream 6 debuted three years ago. It is also a case of a full circle moment with her daughter being the age Sidney was in the first movie, feeling every bit as satisfying as a plot point as it is in reminding the older members of the audience that we are getting old.

It is this familiarity that lies at the heart of Scream 7, tapping into the sense of nostalgia with its very on-the-nose opening. One of the most distinct aspects of the entire Scream series is how self-referencing and self-aware it is, both for horror as a genre and for the series’ past events, with each one having a corresponding Stab movie in this world. The opening leans into this beautifully, weaving instantly recognisable moments from earlier films and blurring the line between fans of the Scream franchise and the fictional true-crime mythology it has created in Woodsboro and beyond. 

It feels as if the nostalgia has been really ramped up this time around, thanks to the return of both Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox as Gail Weathers, whose first screen appearance resulted in the biggest cheer I have heard in a cinema since a certain moment in Avengers: Endgame. There is an electric energy that comes from witnessing Campbell and Cox on screen together, with the complicated nature of their ever-changing relationship providing some of the greatest moments of the series, and that is no different here, with one key sequence between them seven films in the making! It isn’t a spoiler to say that a certain former cast member who has long since been presumed dead returns for this one, but you need to watch the movie to find out how and why.

Franchises of horror movies have a tendency to burn themselves up, becoming parodies of themselves and diluting the quality the more sequels that are released. Scream 7 somehow manages to avoid this trap by offering something fresh as well as familiar. The nostalgia and expected moments are there, but they are joined by something rather unpredictable. The series is known for how closely it sticks to the rules - this installment wastes no time in throwing the rulebook away and making up its own as it goes along. At one point, a character even mentions the rules and is quickly dismissed in a perfect example of why this film thrives. As a huge fan of the film series, this entry felt refreshingly different, while still distinctly being a Scream movie. 

There is an element of predictability in these movies, and we all have fun trying to figure out who the killer is throughout the movie. The phrase “He/She is obviously the killer” must have entered my mind at least five times throughout the movie, and I am not ashamed to say I was wrong every single time. That is not to say your guesses may be right, but it didn't feel easy to predict and that is all part of the fun, making the ultimate reveal all the more enjoyable.

It isn't perfect by a long shot, but perhaps the messy factor is part of the charm. There is an argument that too many characters are introduced, many being drastically underutilised and adding no real weight or reason to the film. There are also a smattering of plot holes to be found and a reveal that would have benefited from more exposition. There is also the case of the use of Ai - an element that forms part of the plot, though almost feels like an afterthought with the opportunity to signify dangers associated with it never used.

One aspect that continues from the last installment is the extra level of gore that wasn’t previously associated with this series, with one or two of the deaths feeling like something from a Final Destination film, though I welcomed these additions. The tone of Scream 7 matches the tone of the entire series, with no shortage of laugh-out-loud moments, and camp and ridiculous moments. The way the series has managed to effectively lampoon the entire genre while bringing something fresh to it and never undermining the threat that any of these characters can be offed at any time (as we discovered with a series favourite in Scream 6) makes an exciting, enjoyable and thrilling watch.

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and that may be why Scream 7 is one of the strongest performances from Neve Campbell, dominating the movie and reminding everyone why she is at the heart of the franchise with a striking turn as Sidney Prescott. This installment also boasts an extra brash and sweary appearance from Courteney Cox’s Gail Weathers in an obvious highlight though, as always, I wanted to see more of her. Some of the newer cast members match these strong performances, with Isabel May following in her mother’s footsteps with a solid turn as Sidney’s daughter, Tatum. Other highlights include the return of Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding as twins Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin, and Asa Germann as Lucas Bowden.

The last Scream movie fell slightly flat to me, personally, but the missteps that movie took, Scream 7 corrects, bringing the series back on track. The creatives involved in writing and directing this movie have given meticulous attention to how to create a brand new story for the fans, while not dumbing it down or creating something that feels like it shouldn’t naturally fit along the six previous films. The result is a strong installments for the series, and a movie that is very solid in its execution. Though some may have wanted to kill this franchise, Scream 7 proves there is still plenty of life left in the series, sharper and cutting deeper than ever.

Scream 7 is in cinemas from 26th February. Watch the trailer below: