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Scream |
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A year after teenage girl Sidney's mother was raped
and murdered, a killer obsessed with horror films
begins stalking Sidney and her friends. Who's the
killer? Sidney's boyfriend Billy, the clumsy deputy
Dewey or the raunchy movie-freak Stuart?
I may be going out on a limb here giving this the
biggest rating, but this is a movie I love and even
though it has its flaws it's still a darn good movie.
It belongs to the old "love-or-hate" category. Many
hardcore-horror fans despise this because of its
modern trendiness and mocking attitude towards old
horror films. But also many people love this because
of its hip, fresh resurrection of the horror genre.
As you might guess from my rating I belong
in the later crowd.
Wes Craven made splendid blockbuster comeback with
this (after the lame Vampire in Brooklyn) and this
easily belongs to his best work. He wonderfully
balances humor and scares on an entertaining level
and brings us characters whose brain-activity is on
the same level as the audience (for a change), as
they know every rule and cliché there is, just like
us watching it. Craven also owes a great deal to Kevin
Williamson's first-rate script, a witty and smart
piece of horror comedy that makes him worthy of the
career he gained after this.
When it comes to the cast, every actor provides an
above average performance. Drew Barrymore is a terrific
scream queen, and Courteney Cox and David Arquette
makes an amusing (and cute) bitchy reporter/goofy
deputy duo. Neve Campbell and Skeet Ulrich does a good
job as our ordinary heroine and boyfriend, while Rose
McGowan, Matthew Lillard and Jamie Kennedy (all pre-
fame) have scene-stealing parts as the stereotypical
gang of teens. Even Henry "the Fonz" Winkler, in a
cameo as an obnoxious principal, provides a piece to
the acting action.
All in all, this is a great entertaining movie. Its
biggest problem though is that Craven doesn't have
determined what kind of movie he wants to do. While the
film is partly comedy, wallowing in gags and inside-
jokes (with constant references to classic horror films
and lines like "You're starting to sound like a Wes
Carpenter flick") it also tries to be a serious thriller
with a social message: movie violence and its affect on
teenagers. Cause indeed the killer in the movie is a
teenager with an unhealthy obsession with horror movies.
Still, the film (especially the climax) stops at no
length at delivering gore and violence, and at the same
time making us laugh with jokes right into
the closing scene.
But this is still just a horror film. It's not really
meant to be taken that seriously (quoting Craven himself:
"We're not doing anything universal here....") and if
you don't try to examine it too closely you'll
have a great time.
Opens with the gutting of a victim couple and ends with
a guy stabbed with both a knife and umbrella, and later
shot in the head. Every victim gets his or her fair
share of fake blood to-go but nastiest killing has a
girl squeezed to death in the garage-opener.
A super score by newcomer Marco Beltrami, creating both
a scary and moody atmosphere, while the killer soundtrack
features killer songs by artists such as Birdbrain,
Republica, Moby, Gus and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds.
A fun, scary and entertaining movie, with great work by
cast and crew. Don't look too closely at plot holes or
the fact that it goes against its own social message.
Remember, it's just a movie. And a good one too.
Review By: Slicer-Dicer
