Scream Review
by Scott Promish (scottjp AT cris DOT com)December 26th, 1996
SCREAM
A film review by Scott Promish
Copyright 1996 Scott Promish
Directed by Wes Craven
Someone is terrorizing the teens of Santa Rosa, CA, using the conventions and cliches of modern horror film as a basis. Survival depends on knowing "the rules": don't drink, don't have sex, don't investigate on your own, etc. Sydney's mom was raped and killed almost a year ago to the day. When the new murders begin, and she receives a late night attack herself, she is forced to wonder if the killer is the same person - despite the fact that the convicted man is in custody and set for impending execution.
And that's all I'm going to say about the plot. This film is rather spoiler prone and best viewed if you go in knowing as little as possible.
Wes Craven is best known as creator of the original NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, as well as lesser known films like THE PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS and LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT. So it may seem odd that he is poking fun at a genre he, however inadvertently, helped to perpetuate and thrive. If you haven't realized it yet, SCREAM (originally titled SCARY MOVIE) is a satire of all the HALLOWEENs and FRIDAY THE THIRTEENTHs and other bad slasher flicks that flourished in the eighties and still linger on today. These films are referenced several times and there are a few very funny nods to Craven's own creations, which I won't spoil here.
Neve Campbell is more impressive here than she was in THE CRAFT, as the strong, resourceful and intelligent Sydney, truly a refreshing change from the usual slasher film female (not that this is a usual slasher film). Skeet Ulrich (also from THE CRAFT) also shows more depth here as Sydney's boyfriend Billy, and he's just menacing enough at times to make you wonder about his character. (Red herrings abound in this picture.) We have Rose McGowan, now a blond having shed the goth-punk look she wore in THE DOOM GENERATION, as Sydney's best friend Tatum. She provides much humor (which is never cheesy) and has a lot of the best lines. Matthew Lillard (SERIAL MOM) is a little annoying as Stu, Tatum's boyfriend, but I suppose he's not unrealistic. The only really weak performance is from Courtney Cox as an obnoxious tabloid reporter. If there's one flaw in the movie as a whole, it's that in the middle it comes dangerously close to turning into the type of film it's parodying, but it recovers with plenty of time to give us a satisfying, and completely unpredictable, ending.
I'm not usually the type to be scared by horror films after they're over, but having just moved into an apartment on my own recently, I did find myself reluctant to turn on my patio light and look out the night I saw SCREAM. It had that sort of creepiness. Your mileage may vary...
Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
