“Scream 7” is not a “Scream” movie

I have been a fan of the "Scream" movies for a long time. Even at their worst, they serve as meta-commentaries on horror movies and the industry. A great entry nails its film commentary, opening kill, and Ghostface reveal. Getting only one or two makes for a good movie. Sadly, "Scream 7" falls short on all counts.

A new Ghostface emerges and is once again going after Sidney (Neve Campbell).

The least disappointing element is the opening kill. The original set the standard with Drew Barrymore—a famous face, a tense call, and the first victim. "Scream 4" is my favorite for its absurd perfection. This film's version is lackluster: a couple visits Sidney's old house, now an Airbnb, and Ghostface strikes. It's uninspired and a warning of worse to come.

In every "Scream" movie, a character delivers a monologue about surviving horror movies—originally Randy (Jamie Kennedy), recently Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown). These scenes set the rules for characters and audience, defining suspects and survival. In "Scream 7," Mindy starts but is stopped by her brother Chad (Mason Gooding), who says, "We said no monologing." This in-joke fails because that monologue is essential to the "Scream" experience, and its absence makes the film feel like just another slasher, not a true "Scream."

There are elements of this movie where it seems to want to comment on the generational trauma that a "final girl" like Sidney can inflict on her children. In this case, her daughter Tatum (Isabel May). Tatum has learned all about her mother's past from books on the "Stab" movies. Sid has never sat her down to talk about it and give her side of the story. Every time Tatum brings it up, Sidney avoids it or shoots her down. The movie wants to be more than a slasher movie, but it never takes the time to explore the themes it raises. The closest it gets is Sidney talking to her daughter as Tatum is being hunted by Ghostface, and a final scene in which Sid explains why she named her daughter Tatum, her best friend in high school, who was killed in the first movie.

"Scream 7" gives us the worst Ghostface reveal in the franchise. I did not like the reveal in "Scream 6," but it made more sense than the one in this movie. In case you still want to see this movie, I won't dwell on how much I hate who the killer/killers turn out to be, but I do need to talk about how much I hate the reason the person or persons donned the ghost mask. The reason has always been something personal. In the original "Scream” (spoilers for a 30-year-old movie), Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich) is one of the killers because Sidney's mother (who he killed a year before the movie starts) had an affair with his father, which led to his mom leaving. In "Scream 7," the reason for the killing spree is arbitrary and unconvincing. The reveal of the person behind the mask should make logical sense, and "Scream 7" fails to clear that bar.

Despite the negative reviews, I remained hopeful because I love this franchise. “Scream 7” was a massive disappointment. It took everything that made the series special and threw it away, turning it into a generic, dull slasher. The few bright spots were quickly erased by uninspired choices and forgettable characters. Sidney Prescott deserves better.

4/10

Rated R for strong bloody violence, gore, and language

1h 54m