Ghostface is back. As a casual horror film fan, the Scream franchise will always be a classic. I have watched many slasher films from the 80s and 90s, and all of them followed the same formula: stab and repeat throughout the entire movie. 

However, when the first Scream movie aired in 1996, it changed the genre forever; it added spice to a genre that has become bland. 

The 90s slasher films all contained the same tropes and cliches: teenagers being killed one by one, similar plots, and exaggerated deaths. Scream has all of them – but adds a self-aware meta element. Without Ghostface, there is no Get Out, Cabin in the Woods, or really any modern-day horror films. 

What’s new?

Scream (2022) again takes it up to the next level. In some ways, this film is the same classic whodunit slasher film with dynamic kills, mysterious elements, and amusing moments. Everything that made Wes Craven’s previous Scream works so great is present including the same setting and the same meta-commentary. 

The kills were the usual stabbings – with a more graphic and brutal twist to it. In my opinion, this time around, the casting was great. Aside from the iconic original trio, all the characters are distinct from one another, and the audience has no trouble figuring out the plot. 

The mystery element in this movie keeps the audience on their toes; anybody could be Ghostface. I could not figure out who the killer was until the last act of the movie – and the movie constantly toys with the mystery aspect. 

Then there was the inclusion of the original Scream cast in the movie. In recent months, there have been many callbacks and inclusion of previous film casts in a modern movie: “Spider-man: No Way Home” and “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” come to mind. Scream does the same, weaving the original trio into the story, paying homage to previous films. 

The issues

The main problem I have with this movie is with the protagonist, Sam Carpenter. Throughout the movie, she does not really do much, and there are many holes in her backstory. The plot tried to tie in characters’ backgrounds with previous films and references – which made the plot convoluted. 

Aside from that, the music and sound effects added a certain level of suspense to the movie; the camera work also created its desired effects, using more wide shots, changing perspectives and angles, and creating great shots with Ghostface, adding to the suspense. 

The verdict

All in all, as a horror movie fan, this film was fantastic, from the suspense to the cinematography. Throughout the entire movie, there is only one answer to the question “do you like horror movies?”: a resounding yes.