Ghostface returns, but this time in New York. For the first time in the series, Scream films outside of Woodsboro, California as the story focuses on the four survivors of the fifth entry. Hoping for a fresh start in the Big Apple, they’ll soon find themselves in the fight for their lives when a new killer embarks on a murderous rampage.
The sequence will see the returns of Courtney Cox, Hayden Panettiere, Jenna Ortega, Sam Carpenter, Jasmin Savoy Brown, and Mason Gooding. The new additions to the cast are Josh Segarra, Jack Champion, and Dermot Mulroney. The latest entry had some fun twists and turns along the way, but several missed opportunities prevented Scream VI from truly reaching the great heights that it could’ve.
The Decision To Redo Scream 2 Was Disappointing
Credit: Scream 2
The opening of Scream VI immediately grabbed my attention the moment Jason Carvey (Tony Revolori) took off his mask following the murder of Laura Crane (Samara Weaving). It teased an interesting direction that the series could go in. Given Sam’s relation to Billy Loomis, diving into the lore of Ghostface himself could’ve been a great avenue that advances Sam’s story and further teases whether she’s like her father.
Following the perspective of Ghostface (or multiple killers) this time around would’ve been a fun diversion that allowed the audience to truly understand the mindset of these killers and create a narrative that is vastly different from the other films. Sadly, Scream 6 didn’t go in that direction. Still, that doesn’t mean the film is bad by any means.
The Decision To Film In New York Was Clever
The change of scenery helps big time. Radio Silence nicely takes advantage of the New York setting by contrasting the different cultures and rules in the world of Ghostface. The Bodega scene is an incredible and tension-filled moment that showcases just how violent Ghostface is. More importantly, the boldness of the serial killer doing his rounds out in public makes sense. The ladder and train scenes were also another tremendous use of the New York setting.
Despite being six films in, Scream still manages to bring out new elements of tension and drama surrounding the mystery of Ghostface. Sure, the whole Ghostface killer angle is getting a bit stale, but there are more hits than misses here. In terms of the kills, they’re brutal and violent, but nothing innovative enough to be truly memorable.
Highlighting that Ethan is the killer is a clever idea on paper. Horror fans understand that the more obvious someone is, the they’re likely not the serial killer. However, that momentum does dry out following the train sequence (another great and tension-filled scene) when Ethan is untouched. The reveal of the killers makes sense, though admittedly, the brief tease that Kirby could be Ghostface was a fun idea.
The Characters Are Better Fleshed Out In Scream VI
Speaking of Kirby, she isn’t given much to do here. Her character doesn’t feel as shoehorned in as Neve Campbell in the fifth entry, but there’s nothing beyond her being a stereotypical cop in a horror film. I wish that the tease that she was mentally unstable was introduced earlier in the film. Obviously, Bailey said that to have Sam lose trust in Kirby, but Radio Silence could’ve given her character some dimension that makes Sam and everyone else question why she’s there in the first place.
In terms of the remaining cast, Sam, Tara, Chad, and Mindy are given a better dimension here and it’s all the better for it. Their bond feels real, and you genuinely want to see them survive. Courtney Cox on the other hand wasn’t given enough meat here as well. The script reverting to the old Gale before dating Dewey was disappointing as her character should’ve evolved following the death of Dewey.
Her chase sequence with Ghostface is great and it actually would’ve been a perfect end to her character. Unfortunately, the film chickens out on killing off her, Chad, and Mindy. It feels like an unnecessary fake-out and one that could become tiresome if the franchise continues to pull this card going forward.
Scream VI is a good film and one worth watching. There’s still some sharp commentary within the series and the surprising amount of tension comes from the new setting. Several missed opportunities could’ve taken the franchise in a bold new direction. Hopefully, the sequel can continue to shake things up for Sam and the gang.
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