Scream 4 (Wes Craven, 2011): USA

Reviewed by Kyle Calbreath. Viewed at Metro 4 Theater, Santa Barbara, CA

Sidney Prescott and the Ghostface killer are at it again as Scream 4 has slashed its way into theaters everywhere this past weekend. Back again are the familiar faces and survivors from the previous three films and back also are the same aging tricks and cheap thrills seen in the same past movies.

Scream 4 begins with, of course, a killing, a few killings actually. The killer is introduced and a hot young blond is jabbed to death with a hunting knife. Sidney is back in Woodsboro to promote the release of her new book. The killing spree begins right away and the teeny boppers of Woodsboro high begin getting obscene phone calls and visits by a knife wielding, Halloween costume wearing crazy film buff.

Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox), now Gale Riley, (she is married to Dewey) is back and just as surely as ever. Sidney (Neve Campbell) is the ever great survivor and squinty eyed, victim. Deputy, now Chief, Dewey Riley is back as the timid and careful to make a decision local cop.

If it was not for the original Scream film being the slasher movie of my generation, and not to mention the film that revived the slasher genre, this would have been an eye roller. The plot line is so predictable that if I were drunk and asleep I could have figured it out. And I only had two cocktails so I was completely coherent.

Wes Craven uses almost the same techniques and quick cheap gags as all the other films to kill people. And let’s face it; I loved every minute of it. I’m not bitching in the least. I even hollered, involuntarily, at one point when Sidney drop kicks the hell out old Ghostface after he guts a local teen.

I’m a huge fan of slasher flicks and horror movies. Halloween is one of my all time favorites and for me none can compare, except perhaps the original Scream. This is why my sister and I were so stoked to see this new installment opening weekend. What fond childhood memories we have together to want to see a bloody horror film that makes us smile and reminisce.

Craven did well by setting this film against a modern back drop. It’s been some time since the first killer began this mess and now he’s doing it at a time when people are live and connected to every bit of information 24 hours a day. The killer in Stab, the fictional film within a film, uses Facebook. Every one of the characters has an iPhone or touch screen device connected to the web.

He also made the characters very aware of the tricks of slasher films exhibiting the desensitizing of society through the popularity of torture porn and gory crime dramas. The first three sequences contain sets of young girls alone in a house. Each one of them know the very in and outs of scary movies. One even sites and disgraces the cheapness and generics of the Saw films franchise.

The characters are more aware of doors popping open, are quicker not to trust people and checking the back seat. If anyone else checks the back seat upon getting into there car these days please raise your hand? How many times has the murderer been back there? And he or she is going get you, from behind. Being got from behind is fine, but not when getting your throat slashed.

Towards the end of the flick the film became straight comedy. The picture was not short on one liners and outrageous and crazed events. I won’t give anything away by going into detail. Let’s just say someone, deliberately throws their face into a glass picture frame and falls to the ground like, well a dead body.

In the end my brood and I left feeling satisfied. Even my cousins contact fell out I can only assume because she was so tickled.  It was bloody good time. Mr. Craven please keep them coming. Keep killing the blondes and giving us the ever so creepy Ghostface cocking his head ever so slightly to the side like a confused puppy right before the final stab. Your audience dies for it every time.

 

 

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Published:
04.18.11 / 12am
Category:
Films