Scream 7

by Mike McGranaghan

Scream 7 hits theaters at a bit of a disadvantage. After establishing a new set of characters in the two previous installments, the producers fired star Melissa Barrera over a couple social media posts they disliked. Co-star Jenna Ortega bolted in solidarity. That meant established plotlines needed to be scrapped or retooled to continue without the lead actresses. The story this time is definitely less fleshed out than it could be. You can feel the reconfiguring that took place. It doesn’t mean this sequel is a total dud, though.

Instead of Barrera’s Sam Carpenter, the focus is once again Sidney Prescott, played by the returning Neve Campbell. (The screenplay contains several pointed jokes about her absence in Scream 6.) She now lives far away from Woodsboro with police chief husband Mark Evans (Joel McHale) and teenage daughter Tatum (Isabel May), with whom she has a rocky relationship. Sidney receives a video call from what appears to be the late Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard), threatening to finish her off thirty years after the original Scream. It’s not clear if he really did somehow survive or if somebody is deepfaking him. Either way, a killer in a Ghostface mask begins terrorizing Sidney and her family.

Campbell hasn’t been at the center of these pictures since Scream 4. She’s a welcome presence, even if the shift from Sam back to Sidney is forced. The screenplay comes up with an interesting dynamic for her to play. Sidney has tried to shield Tatum from the sort of trauma that’s become commonplace in her life. As a result, her daughter expresses concern that she’s unprepared for the hardships of life. The teen is therefore tested by the presence of Ghostface, a fact that brings Sidney no small amount of stress.

Of similar interest is the dynamic between Sidney and reporter Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox). You didn’t think they’d make a Scream sequel without her, did you? A section in the middle of the movie focuses on their long history together, as the women analyze how things have evolved between them. Viewers here solely for the kills may think this slows down the pace; I thought it was nice to have these characters acknowledge the crazy experience they’ve shared.

I have not mentioned any of the supporting characters because waiting for the big reveal of the killer(s) is a major part of Scream’s appeal and I don’t want to risk tipping anything off. Jasmin Savoy-Brown and Mason Gooding are still on board despite Barrera and Ortega being gone. Other characters are portrayed by stars McKenna Grace, Anna Camp, Ethan Embry, Mark Consuelos, Timothy Simons, Jimmy Tatro, and Madame Web’s Celeste O’Connor. Guessing who’s behind the Ghostface mask isn’t difficult if you understand certain laws of screenwriting, so surprise is minimal. Thankfully, the motivation is in keeping with the franchise’s meta approach.

In terms of the thrills and kills, director Kevin Williamson stages them effectively. A particularly gruesome murder involves a character being suspended in mid-air. Later on - and this is shown in the trailer, so it doesn’t qualify as a spoiler - Sidney and Tatum try to escape Ghostface from behind the walls of their home. The expected slasher elements may not have the freshness they did in Wes Craven’s original, but they certainly get the job done. No shortage of blood and guts here.

Due to the need to quickly pivot away from the Capenter sisters, Scream 7 is not the series’ best entry. Rough edges in the plot are impossible to deny, as are occasionally silly moments. It isn’t the worst entry, either. Scream 3 and Scream 4 have it beat in that department. Campbell and Cox are terrific, the kills are nicely accomplished, and the way the film tantalizes us with the question of Stu’s survival gives the proceedings an angle that rewards longtime fans. Even in its seventh chapter, the saga still knows how to bring a decent amount of fun.

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