Cast/Crew: Directed by Wes Craven, starring the old crew of Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox & David Arquette (!), along with new faces that take the lion’s share of the screen time. There’s also some nice cameos that I won’t spoil here.

Plot: A “living remake” of Scream 1, where events happen in Woodsboro very similarly to the first Scream, so instead of the protagonists trying to figure out the rules of a horror film, they try to figure out the new rules of a horror film remake.

Thoughts on the film:
• I think that’s quite a clever plotline! This is an enjoyable film, if you know it’s style and what it has to offer. There is a niche market for self-referential horror films.
• The movie (like Scream 2 & 3 before it) is based around the shoot and work of the Scream/Stab film franchise, which is always a good time.
• It’s cool to see a horror film set in a world where horror films exist, something very rare; some swerves are used to some great comic effect.
• With that, this film requires a fair amount of suspension of disbelief, as the characters disregard basic sense and how things would actually play out in reality. Are there only 3 police officers in the county? Are they really this stupid? It feels cheap but you gotta just accept these things in order to enjoy it.
• Did you know? The Scream franchise has an R rating, with no nudity. I guess it has street cred but why wouldn’t you want your film to be available to the widest audience? Whoever you’re trying to impressed will just be annoyed with the lack of gore/nudity/swearing that usually comes with an R rating.
• I was shocked that the old cast is back, not just for a cameo. Why is Sidney back you ask? Woodsboro is the last stop on her (self-help) book tour, and hangs out with Sherriff Dewey and Gale. Emma Roberts (American Horror Story S3: Coven) and a short-haired Hayden Panettiere (the Cheerleader from Heroes) is along for the ride.
• They reference the previous Scream films so often it’s like they’re apologising/explaining why this plot twist is taking place.
• Something I didn’t appreciate, the movie trots off the generic internet dismissals of other horror franchises, whilst this one itself isn’t very well written or has great characters.

Overall: Unfortunately just a good film, the characters are “normal”, the kills are hilariously cheap sometimes, and the film gets lost in it’s own twists…a Russo-esque take on horror films. But this self-aware gimmick is something still not done enough in film and I’m always up for seeing where it goes. It’s just mindless entertainment and easy-going fun. In short, if/when they do Scream 5, I’ll give it a watch.

Some more fun lines:
• Robbie (pleading with Ghostface to not kill him): Wait, no, you can’t! You can’t! There’s rules! I’m gay! I’m gay! (Ghostface pauses and tilts his head) I mean…if it helps. (Ghostface continues stabbing him)
• Jenny “Stab 5 has time travel, which is by far the worst.” HA!

I’d place the Scream films 1 > 4 > 2 > 3, so a decent job!

Question: If you were to remake Scream with wrestlers, who would you cast? We need a Sidney, Dewey, Gale, 2 killers and some bodies to get offed!