THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE DISCUSSED FILM. READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
Nobody expected anymore good content from the Scream franchise after Wes Craven passed away, until the team of Radio Silence surprised us with their 2022 re-quel. With that film being a critical and commercial success, we were all in for what they would do next. And boy did the next entry feel bigger than the last.
PLOT
Scream VI takes place one year after toxic Stab fans Richie Kirsch (Jack Quaid) and Amber Freeman committed a murder spree in Woodsboro. The remaining survivors are now residing in New York to start over; Chad & Mindy Meeks-Martin, niece & nephew of the late Randy Meeks, attend Blackmore University with Tara Carpenter. Chad has befriended his roommate Ethan and Mindy has started dating another woman named Anika (Devyn Nekoda). Tara’s adult sister Sam, whose the illegitimate daughter of Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich), has grown to be overprotective since the attack and has been publicly ostracized with online theories that she orchestrated what happened. Apart from having a roommate named Quinn, she chooses to live her life in secret by dating her neighbor Danny Brackett. Terror would make a comeback when a new Ghostface kills Jason Carver and Greg, two Blackmore students that just killed their professor Laura Crane, as an act of finishing what Richie & Amber started. Sam is brought in to questioning by Quinn’s father, Detective Wayne Bailey, when her ID is found at the crime scene, along with the mask used in the Woodsboro killings from the year prior. When she and Tara head to the station, they get chased by Ghostface into a bodega. They survive after the new killer kills multiple bystanders and leaves behind the mask used from the 2011 Woodsboro killings. After being questioned by Wayne and give their alibis, they meet Kirby Reed, a victim of the 2011 massacre whose now an FBI agent and has had a special interest to these actions. As a friend to Sam, she insists for her and Tara to stay in NY due to the new case making them persons of interest. When they leave the station, the Carpenters get swarmed by reporters including Gale Weathers. Tara straight up punches her for publishing a book of the 2022 massacre due to it worsening Sam’s image. Although Gale apologizes for never intending that to happen, she does share that Sidney Prescott went into hiding with her family once the news broke out. When the Carpenters meet up with Chad & Mindy, the latter shares the theory that the new killer is following the rules of a general franchise. In this case, expectations will be subverted, everything will be bigger than last time and no one is safe because the franchise can live on without legacy characters. When Sam’s therapist Dr. Christopher Stone (Henry Czerny) is killed and Ghostface left behind the mask used from the Stab 3 massacre, Kirby theorizes with Wayne that the new killer is bringing things full circle with the intent to kill the Carpenters last with the costume used by Loomis. During dinner, Sam chooses to be open with everyone and admits to be dating Danny. It is during this where across the building, the latter spots Ghostface sneaking into the apartment to kill Quinn and her unnamed boyfriend. Just when he alerts everyone else, they leave the apartment as soon as they could but Anika would be another victim as well. After this, the killer would leave behind the mask used during the Windsor College massacre. By morning, Wayne vows to avenge his daughter and help Sam stop this new threat. It is after this new vow where Gale would meet up with everyone on the remaining suspect list including Kirby to an abandoned theater where Jason used as a Ghostface under a fake name. Kirby would point out that what is missing are the masks that have been found at each crime scene from most recent in reverse order. Wanting to lure out the killer, Sam suggests a sting operation to narrow down where he/she could be. They are able to track the number, only to find it in Gale’s apartment. Sam & Tara save the reporter from being killed, but they couldn’t stop Ghostface in time from severely wounding her and killing her boyfriend Brooks (Thomas Cadrot). As Gale recovers at the hospital, Sam hopes to try luring out the killer again by heading back to the theater, where the remaining group would meet up with Kirby in hopes to trap him/her. Sam takes the subway with Tara, Chad & Danny. When Mindy gets unintentionally separated, she boards another train with Ethan. The latter is seemingly proven to not be Ghostface when the masked killer stabs Mindy in public. After that happens, Ethan would tend to her until the ambulance arrives for her. Once the rest make it to the theater, Sam gets a vision from her father to defend herself. She hesitantly takes the advice by taking the knife he used in the first massacre. She then gets a call from Wayne to not trust Kirby, claiming her delusional behavior got her fired months prior. Just when she hears this, a Ghostface duo attacks Tara and stab Chad. Wayne would return, only to reveal himself as an accomplice by shooting Kirby. Unmasked, the other two were his children Ethan and Quinn, the latter of which had her fake death staged to avoid suspicion. They have banded together to kill the Carpenters and frame Sam, as an act of revenge for Wayne’s son Richie. He even admits that he instead made the shrine for Richie due to indulging his love for Stab, meaning that he changed it to be in Jason’s alias to keep his cover. Quinn even confesses to being responsible for defaming Sam online and gained their trust by the time she moved in. Despite the advantage by the trio of villains, the Carpenters are able to defend themselves to kill them all. Tara is able to stab Ethan through the face. And as for Sam, she shoots Quinn in the face before butchering Wayne, dawning his father’s costume in the process. Still breathing, Ethan tries to attack again before Kirby recovers in time to kill him by smashing him with the same television set that killed Stu Macher. When reinforcements arrive, Chad is surprisingly found still alive after the amount of stabs he received. Mindy, appeared to have checked out of the hospital, arrives outside the theater relieved that her brother and friends have survived. Sam would come to an understanding with Tara and promises to let her live her life and the film would end with the older sister discarding her father’s mask.
THOUGHTS
Like a lot of fans, my love for Scream rebooted when the re-quel came out and it made me very open minded for more to come. While this entry is not better than what was done the year before, it doesn't mean it wasn't entertaining. Directors Tyler Gillett & Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, and writers Guy Busick & James Vanderbilt keep the ball rolling with another intense horror flick. It had been a long while for the franchise to have a story take place outside of California. It ain't nothing new to be in NY, but it ain't too predictable because anything can happen when going somewhere different. The big difference is that it’s more pleasurable to watch unlike Jason Takes Manhattan. With Brian Tyler & Steve Faulconer composing together, they appropriately set the tone for this adventure to be a thrilling one. Horror films know how to up the ante when they get sequels and it's no exception here when Ghostface acts the deadliest here and gets under your skin with the most violent attacks. It was already bad when the killer(s) pushed Anika off a ladder and shed blood with a shotgun in a bodega, but it put us at our most claustrophobic in the subway where the unexpected can happen at any time. I was breathing so hard out of fear for Mindy I thought I was gonna pass out. Moments like that prove how dangerous the world is. But aside from that, the film works as a whole due to a meta theme that becomes stronger with each viewing: Trauma affects us all and it is up to us to decide where we should confront it with or without malice. The villains we get to see are obviously the ones who prefer the former and boy do they ensure we remember it. You easily hate Tony Revolori's Jason in the beginning for being a killer who acts with no legit motive apart from greed. You immediately think 'Fuck this guy' for killing his teacher over a bad grade and the joy he felt proves how inhuman was unlike the others before him. The fear of Ghostface truly kicks in when the new trio makes their mark. You end up giving them uncomfortable respect for actually having a predictable yet clear motive that is revenge and they were close to succeeding. Dermot Mulroney makes Wayne the ringleader who acted the most conflicted of the group. All he wanted was to be a good dad to Richie and make him happy, which led to him indulging in his psychotic actions. Seeing glimpses of Richie's fan film was the perfect proof we needed to see how sadistic he was before going after Sam. Wayne knew he failed and he felt the only way to be redeemed is to avenge his firstborn. As for the rest of his children, Jack Champion's Ethan and Liana Liberato's Quinn matched the range of being extremely deranged as neither do they find their shame for their actions. Seeing them on the same page made it worse because it made them ahead of the game longer than expected and villains as smart as that is the last thing protagonists need. Since they were never gonna own up to the fact that Richie was the worst, you find relief that they are put out of misery because it's three less people in the world to worry about. I even got to give another shoutout to Roger Jackson who definitely had a challenge to voice three different people (instead of two) and do his best in making each line delivery distinguishable. I laugh of how he asks aloud 'Who gives a fuck about movies?' because the irony is I still do and the theaters would've been shut down already if millions of people around the world didn't. Having said what I said of the villains, it becomes a relief to have a protagonist who does her best in not letting the past define her. Melissa Barrera gives another homerun in making Sam the most interesting character of this new arc. She doesn't like killing people but claims it feels right because it gets the job done in stopping what threatens her. She only kills out of self defense and is able to stop herself without anyone telling her to, which is the biggest difference from others. Seeing her dawn her father's costume was definitely the smartest way to taunt Wayne before executing her enemy. It's not an act of joy but instead, it makes clear she won't let the trauma affect her anymore. I respect her for discarding the mask by the end because it symbolizes her attempt to let it go, but I do worry it gives the chance of paving the way for another threat. Jenna Ortega makes another standout outing as Tara because she is someone who is trying to not let past define her. Ignoring the past can be good on occasion, but ignoring it for too long can lead to becoming balled up with rage and fear which is what Sam didn't want her to go through. Tara was trying to distance herself from her sister because she wanted to be independent and had the same goal of not letting the past define her. She wanted to make mistakes just to learn from it, but briefly struggled to understand that ignoring your issues doesn't make it go away. The second Ghostface came back, she came around to confront her threat and boy she did in intense fashion when she stabbed Ethan. She caved in accepting therapy by the end because she finally accepted that there is comfort in talking about the past that bothers you. While Sam & Tara were an interesting sibling pair to root for, they weren't the only ones to feel the same about. Mason Gooding & Jasmin Savoy Brown pick up where they left off by making the pair of Chad & Mindy still likable by staying on guard yet maintaining their social skills. After what happened in Woodsboro, the Carpenters became family to them and they knew sticking together made them stronger and it was proven due to how all pulled off surviving. Mindy may be scared of the real terror, but she still uses her film knowledge to her advantage. Chad may want to live like there's no tomorrow, but he's willing to switch gears when things get out of hand. While I was Mindy found solace with Anika as long as she could, I was so caught off guard with Chad & Tara finding a liking towards one another. I dug it upon re watching because apart from the trauma bringing them closer, they match so well due to how they both understand how vulnerable they are deep down and feel safer together. Since the 'Core Four' all survived, it pleases me to see these two have a chance to be happy. The only new character I truly enjoyed was arguably Danny because Josh Segarra makes it clear how he's all about wanting to be happy and is giving that feeling to Sam. He likes her because he doesn't think about her past and only sees her for her big heart and she likes him back because he is the first guy to truly make her feel safe. Since he survived as well, I hope things continue work out with the two. It was a tough call to do a Scream movie without Neve Campbell because Sidney Prescott grew to be the best final girl onscreen. While it'd be great for her to help out again, it makes sense for her to stop walking into danger when she doesn't have to. And on top of that, Courtney Cox keeps the nostalgia going when returning as Gale. She brings a whole other layer this time because although she remains her competitive edge in her line of work, she is still someone with emotions. She may have wished the Carpenters didn't hate her last book, but she stills cares for them in her own way since she's been in their situation before. And the worst part, she lost the one man she loved the most that was Dewey, which unleashes her own vulnerability. Despite this, she still has the will to defend herself when danger came her way and she definitely had the smartest moment of the whole series by tracking Ghostface's call to narrow the killer's presence and shoot it down. Again with Sidney gone, it gave the chance for other survivors to make an appearance. Once the fifth film confirmed Kirby had survived, all I wanted for this one was the return of Hayden Panettiere. I got that and she delivered spectacularly. The big difference we got from her is that apart from remaining a horror fanatic like Mindy, she remained likable because she wants to be a guardian angel to those in need. Being an FBI agent was suitable for her because she wanted to confront all the monsters out there that are no match for her. Had she not told Tara her motivation as an agent, I don’t think the latter would’ve been driven to defend herself like she would by the climax. Every killer Kirby takes down is a win for her and it definitely was the case when she killed Ethan. The bright side about that is it re-confirms Stu is definitely dead and shuts down the theories that he survived. Last but not least, I was having such a frown when they killed off Laura in the opening. I was so happy to see Samara Weaving work with Radio Silence again for the first time since Ready or Not, only to be heartbroken seeing her be the Drew Barrymore of this story. Nevertheless, she did a great job in making her a likable character for her being a horror fan. But it's still sad to see her too gullible to remember the rules when not at work. The irony about it is too damn sad to notice. This movie is generally fine for knowing what it is, but even if you know what you are in for, it won’t change that there were things that held it back from being better. I was surprised to see Laura killed in the opening by her own student Jason, but that’s where it is the problem for me: You don’t recognize the voice of your student? Yeah teachers/professors deal with hundreds of students weekly, but they don’t all sound the same. And once she heard the voice of Ghostface, she should've fucking hauled ass. It was also wild for Jason to re-shrine his mask before cleaning it. I know he ain't the only Stab fan, but that is leaving everything to risk. The worst part of Sam protecting Tara is that the partygoers get so distracted of her presence, they forget she was preventing sexual assault going down at that party. We could've just waited until outside the party to see how the public is against her. I’m then wondering if anyone found Sam’s file documented by Dr. Stone. Since she told Wayne she had a therapist, she should’ve been suspicious once he died. I’m then wondering if Quinn ever knew Sam was dating Danny? If she did, she should’ve killed him to make her target more vulnerable. Speaking of which, why didn’t Danny break into the theater? I know he wants Sam to trust him, but there was no guarantee she was gonna make it. On top of that, how did he have everyone’s number? Having Sam’s number is one thing but since he didn’t talk to the others beforehand, it’s kinda pointless. Also, why did Sam still have Richie’s number? Sure I wouldn’t remove someone’s phone number immediately after they die, but I don’t think it would take me a year to do it. I also think she could've just gotten a new phone once the bad publicity came her way. I even thought it was weird for the Carpenters to not have a lawyer represent them when being questioned by Wayne. Even if it was one scene, they still deserve an appropriate protocol for being questioned, especially since they're innocent. I also wonder where was Sam's taser when Ghostface attacked her apartment? Did it get confiscated by Wayne or did she forget to charge t? I gotta ask since it's odd she doesn't use it again using it on that frat asshole. Of all the mistakes Sidney has made, I feel like she should’ve warned Sam that Gale was gonna write a book about the 2022 massacre. Just knowing that would’ve made things better for her to tolerate her actions. It was big for Gale to have her own isolated attack, but who the hell was Brooks? There was really no point for her to have a boyfriend we never met before only for him to be an extra body in the body count. And it was smart for her to have a stashed gun, but she should’ve waited for Ghostface to break down the door. Had she done that, she would’ve shot down the killer immediately. I'm also appalled she didn't do background checks on Quinn once she found out she was a roommate to the Carpenters. I know she doesn't want to be paranoid like Sindey but if she cares for them in her own way and is willing to find the shrine, she would've done so. And had she, she would've figured out the whole connection to Richie and definitely would've convinced the sisters to appropriately go into hiding. It makes sense for someone to get attacked at the subway when isolated, but Mindy should’ve known that would be a possibility. Due to her circumstances, she would be in the absolute right to punch the first Ghostface that came close to her. Seeing her on guard would’ve made it harder for the real killer to make a move. I even found myself happy to see her survive, but we didn’t have to see her get checked out of the hospital to prove it. Getting a call about it would’ve been fine just like it was for Gale. Seeing her arrive at the theater only makes her recovery unreal for me. It’s just as unbelievable as her not mentioning the chances of being multiple killers when it’s the franchise’s biggest trope. It was definitely smart for Richie's family to kill Jason and Greg in order to get the dibs on killing the Carpenters, but how the hell did they know that's what they wanted to do? It is one thing to do a background check but just because Richie took his love for Stab too serious, does not mean everyone else will. Lastly, I did say I was very happy to see Kirby again, but where was she when Ghostface attacked in 2022? She says she had an interest in the attacks, so what kind of excuse did she have to prevent herself from getting involved that time? I'm sure there's a reason Panettiere wasn't available back then, but it's annoying how the character's absence isn't clear. It irritates me more than her knowing Mindy's a horror fan when we don't even know who the hell told her. Ignore this and you're still in for a ride. In short, Scream VI is another entertaining entry in the slasher franchise for boosting the brutality and ensuring itself to be a whodunnit that'll leave you second guessing until it's over. If you regained your love for the series after the re-quel, then it's a no brainer for you to check this out as well.
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