Somebody Turn the Lights On

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The Scream series feels stuck in a repetitive cycle. Each film follows a predictable pattern: an opening kill, the killer’s drawn-out questions about horror movies, an explanation for the new Ghostface, nods to past movies, the return of old characters, and tiresome justifications for repeating familiar tropes. Originally a clever and insightful series, Scream has evolved into a crowded and predictable franchise, weighed down by its own history. It started during a time of ironic detachment, survived shifts in cultural sincerity, and now feels lost in a cynical era where nothing seems to matter.

Hoping Scream 7 would cleverly address its own legacy felt like a stretch, and the film unfortunately falls into the same pattern as its predecessors – simply acknowledging it instead of truly exploring it. The movie opens with a young couple visiting the house from the original Scream, now a macabre tourist attraction featuring crime scene markings and even an animatronic Ghostface. This feels fitting, because the film itself feels robotic, predictable, and lacks genuine scares. Unsurprisingly, the couple quickly becomes the latest victims. Even the over-the-top opening sequence – complete with a house fire, a falling chandelier, and a fatal plunge onto a knife – feels forced and relies on spectacle rather than cleverness. You can easily guess what’s going to happen. Honestly, even a minor set piece from a Final Destination movie is more imaginative and engaging.

The story centers on Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), who’s back after sitting out one film, and her attempts to protect her teenage daughter, Tatum (Isabel May), from a new Ghostface – or multiple Ghostfaces, it’s hard to keep track. They’re being targeted in the quiet town of Pine Grove, Indiana. The most surprising part? The killer initially appears as Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard), a character who supposedly died in the original movie but has long been the subject of survival rumors. Whether it’s actually Stu or a clever deepfake isn’t the point. Lillard delivers a wildly energetic performance, even though he’s only on screen through a phone, and injects some much-needed excitement into the film.

The success of a Scream movie hinges on its creative and memorable set pieces. Unlike unstoppable killers like Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees, the Ghostface killer is always a different person, making them realistically vulnerable and prone to mistakes. The films cleverly use this to create darkly comedic chase sequences, which unexpectedly make the violent killings even more shocking. However, Scream 7 doesn’t quite capture this balance. While the movie features plenty of gruesome deaths – with graphic injuries and over-the-top gore – it lacks the playful build-up that previously made those scenes both shocking and, in a strange way, understandable.

Kevin Williamson, known for his work on the original film and its sequels, makes his directorial debut here, and he certainly finds some interesting places to film – a construction site draped in plastic, a high school stage, and a bar primed for destruction. Unfortunately, these locations aren’t used in a particularly creative way. There’s a moment of hope when we learn Sidney has a panic room, but even that promising element doesn’t go anywhere. The film seems hesitant to embrace the over-the-top silliness that often makes horror movies fun. It’s also surprisingly dark – almost everything happens in dim lighting, which creates confusion rather than suspense. Horror used to be a visually dynamic genre, playing with light and shadow, but this film feels like a reminder that you might need an eye exam.

It’s time to face reality, both in front of and behind the camera. After two directorial teams left the project, Neve Campbell joined, but the road to getting Scream 7 made was still rocky. Controversy erupted when Melissa Barrera was fired due to social media posts about the conflict in Gaza, and shortly after, Jenna Ortega also left the film. Some groups are now calling for a boycott. Despite all these challenges, there was a strong, almost inexplicable, drive to complete Scream 7. It didn’t matter that the directors and stars changed, or that the script was completely rewritten – the movie had to happen. It wasn’t about a compelling story or interesting characters; it was simply about keeping the Scream franchise alive and releasing another installment. The original Scream cleverly criticized Hollywood’s superficiality, but this latest film perfectly exemplifies it.

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2026-02-28 02:54