Scream 4 (Dimension Films)
Just Twisted Enough To Be Entertaining
By now they should have used every twist in the book to make the Scream retreads entertaining. But in Hollywood there is always one more joke in the box. Director Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson mined the idea behind Scream for one more nugget of gold and they found it. The film is perverse and profane but you will find yourself having a good time much against your better judgment.
In the film it is the anniversary of the Woodside killings that terrorized that small town a few years ago. Reporter Gayle Weathers (Courtney Cox) has written a few books on the subject, and has also married Sheriff Dewey Riley (David Arquette). The heroine of the occurrences, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), has finally written her own story and is in town to publicize it.
Just as Sidney arrives new killings begin. The bodies pile up quicker than you can say scariest movie and many people are suspects in the new crimes. Could it be Deputy Judy (Marley Shelton) who has a crush on Dewey and wants Gayle out of the way Or maybe Trevor (Nico Tortorella), the obsessive ex-boyfriend of Sidneys niece; or even the two geeky moviemakers Robbie (Erik Knudsen) and Charlie (Rory Culkin). Jill (Emma Roberts). The only people who are not suspects are the ones who end up dead.
The best parts of the movie involve Gayle who is as sharp-tongued and quirky as ever. She wants her time back in the spotlight and she intends on getting it. She loves Dewey and she likes Sidney but in this race to get the story she pushes everyone out of her way.
Neve Campbell is still the star of the show and this movie makes you realize how much potential she had as an actor. Somehow her career just never took off but maybe this sequel will give her career a boost.
Among the young stars featured in the film Hayden Panetierre and Emma Roberts come off best. The play best friends and they are a study in opposites. Panetierre is Kirby, an aggressive teen who doesnt really know what fear is. Jill (Roberts) makes points for being average and low key.
The film is rated R for excessive violence and an endless stream of profanity.
Scream 4 is more of the same in this series of movies but it has a spoof type quality that makes it a little bit better than its predecessors. At times you take the storyline seriously and at others you dont. One minute you are shaking with fear for the characters and the next you are laughing at how stupid they all are. This combination of scare and fun makes the movie one to enjoy whether you want to or not.
Is this the last of the line for the Scream franchise I doubt it. As long as it scares and amuses us then the show will go on. And this one did just that.
I scored Scream 4 a stabbed 6 out of 10.
