Scream VI – Film Review

Four survivors of the Ghostface murders leave Woodsboro behind for a fresh start in New York City. However, they soon find themselves in a fight for their lives when a new killer embarks on a bloody rampage.

“In a city of millions, no one can hear you scream” is the tagline to Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett‘s Scream VI. It’s an absolutely amazing tagline that is almost as amazing as the movie itself. There were a lot of things to worry about when it came to the sixth installment in the long-running horror slasher franchise, but rest assured – this is the best film in the franchise.

It’s probably going to be a bold statement to make, but it’s exactly how I feel. Yes, the original film from 1996 is always going to be the most respected and iconic film in the franchise, but there is something so incredibly special about Scream VI that resonated with me right out of the gate.

We’ve seen so many horror slashers at this point that trying to make one that feels totally fresh and unique while also existing in a wildly popular franchise that has die-hard fans almost seems like an impossible task. How can you satisfy people by giving them lots of new while also managing to find a healthy dosage of the old?

That’s exactly what Scream VI does. It takes all of the best elements of the previous films and puts them in a blender to make one hell of an exciting movie that will keep you guessing all the way up until the nail-biting third act that’s jam-packed with blood, emotion, and the most shocking horror twists in ages. Yes, twists plural.

It’s clear that Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett have an intense love of this series and it shines even more brightly here than it did in last year’s entry that they directed. The script by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick is also a whole lot tighter and cut-throat this time around. This really feels like the most mature Scream film in so many ways.

That’s not to say that the film doesn’t utilize the franchise’s iconic sense of humor (there’s a couple of sequences in particular that had myself and the rest of the auditorium in stitches), but it makes sure to let us all know that the stakes have truly never been higher.

It’s one of those broken record statements, but it’s the genuine truth here. The things that Vanderbilt and Busick do with the story took me by complete surprise in all the best ways. A lot of people like to predict how the Scream films are going to end while watching them. If you’re one of those people, good luck predicting all the crazy turns this sixth film takes.

At the heart of this story is the relationship between Sam and Tara Carpenter, though. Despite the fact that this is very much so a horror movie, the relationship between these two sisters is some of the most heartwarming stuff I’ve seen in any movie for quite some time.

You can tell that they love one another immensely, but they also recognize that they don’t exactly live normal lives. They have tons of fights and they are still trying to deal with the events of 2022’s Scream, but they’re determined to make their relationship strong once again.

Melissa Barrera was strong as Sam in the previous entry, but she is ten times better here. You can really feel the emotions of her character seeping through much stronger this time around. Jenna Ortega once again steals the show as the fascinating Tara, who is probably my favorite Scream character next to Sidney Prescott. Together, the two actresses have excellent chemistry as well.

One of the things that was worrying me before going to see Scream VI was the new setting. Instead of taking place in the iconic Woodsboro – where every other Scream film takes place – this new film takes us right into the heart of New York City. This, understandably, caused many fans to wonder if it would even feel like a proper Scream movie.

Thankfully, you can rest assured that the NYC setting absolutely rules. The filmmakers find clever and exciting ways to really make the most out of the fresh new setting. In many ways, this new location injects a lot of new life into this franchise and shows us just how much fun we can have elsewhere instead of always being confined to just Woodsboro. I love Woodsboro, but I think the change was warranted here.

Now, since this is a slasher movie, there are obviously going to be some people who flock to their local theatre just to see some people get sliced up. If you’re one of those people, I can safely tell you that you’re going to have the time of your life with this movie.

While it isn’t anything absolutely disgusting, the kills in Scream VI are by far the bloodiest and most brutal they’ve been in the entire franchise. There are a couple of kills in particular that shocked me and made me more fearful for this movie’s Ghostface killer. The killer this time around is someone who clearly doesn’t mind getting a bit of blood on their hands, and that’s clear the very first time we see them.

To tell you the truth, there was nothing about this film that I disliked. There are so many things that made me fall in love with this movie and I cannot wait to fall back in love with them when I revisit the movie time and time again. It’s a genuine horror masterpiece.

With plenty of excitement, bloody kills, strong emotional beats, and terrific humor, Scream VI is an excellent showcase that the franchise has never been better.