Movie Review: Scream (1996)

Warning: This review does contain spoilers for the movie Scream. Go and watch it.

AHHHHH!!!! What happens when a bunch of characters who are obsessed with horror movies are the main characters in a horror movie? You get a SCREAM of a good time. At least you should. If your audience aren’t as knowledgeable about the genre as those characters are, does the film still hold up? When your slasher flick tries to walk the tightrope between genuine horror and satire, do you miss out on the effects of both? Does director Wes Craven still have what it takes? 20+ years later, is Scream still good?

I know the opening scene is. Despite the fact that I didn’t go into this movie believing that Drew Barrymore was the main character, like many people who saw this when it first came out in cinemas in 1996 did, the opening 13 minute sequence is still fantastic. The slow build, the superb acting, Drew trying to scream out to her parents only for nothing to come out, and her parents hearing her dying on the phone when they try to call the cops. Amazing stuff. Amazing horror. Amazing tension.

Then the film shifts slightly in direction and tone. The next hour of the movie introduces us to all the players, helps us get to know them, and sows the seeds of who the killer might be. The only problem is that I’m not sure I want to get to know all of them. Henry Winkler as the weirdly inappropriate (did you see the way he touches Sidney’s face when they bring her in for questioning?) school principal and David Arquette as the doofus Deputy Sheriff kinda feel like they’re in the wrong movie. Like seriously, what is Henry Winkler doing in this movie? Is that character there as a red herring? Is this some sort of satirical portrayal of a horror movie principal? I don’t get it. This movie is long, coming in at an hour and fifty minutes, and it feels like some fat could’ve been trimmed with these characters.

That’s not to say the rest of the cast is bad though. Neve Campbell really shines in this movie as Sidney Prescott and it’s hard to understand how she didn’t go on to have a huge career after this. In fact when you look at it, none of the cast had stellar movie careers outside of the Scream franchise. David Arquette, as doofus Dewie, went on to marry Courtney Cox and become WCW World champion. Rose McGowan who plays the sarcastic best friend Tatum plays her role to perfection in this movie, but went on to star in the TV series Charmed and not do much else. Johnny Depp clone (but without the talent) Skeet Ulrich plays the sorta creepy Billy Loomis, popped up on a couple of TV shows. Matthew Lillard who plays Stu, who sorta stole the movie, committed career suicide by playing (admittedly very well) Shaggy in Scooby Doo. Courtney Cox as bitchy reporter Gale Weathers, nada. Jamie Kennedy as horror movie expert Randy, nothing. It’s quite bizarre.

As we make our way towards the last 40 minutes that take place at Stu’s house we have a couple of Ghostface sightings, an arrest, a missing father, a dead principal, a scene where we watch Dewey lick an ice cream cone, and a tonne of references to the great horror movies that preceded this one. But not a hell of a lot of tension. Tension is what great slasher movies are made of. Tension is what makes you squirm in your seat and want to close your eyes but you can’t. When you spend time with weird (not in a good way) characters and poking fun at the premise of the kind of movie you’re making you kill some of the tension.

Do you need to understand the many references to enjoy the movie? No. Is the movie more enjoyable if you know what they’re talking about? Yes. It’s hard to enjoy satire if you’re unfamiliar with the tropes that are being mocked. And that’s perhaps a failure of this movie in the modern day. This is one of the most successful horror movies ever, and so inevitably when people are just starting to watch horror movies this will be one of the first they pick, so they won’t understand some of the winks at the camera. 

So if the satire part of this movie isn’t landing, and if the movie lacks tension in the middle act, is it still good? I watched this movie with a friend who had barely seen any horror movies, and my girlfriend who has seen quite a few modern ones. My friend thoroughly enjoyed the film, though complained it was a touch long. My girlfriend wished she hadn’t seen Scary Movie so many times because it sort of ruined it for her, and didn’t find it very scary. 

The last 40 minutes of this movie are stellar. The way everything plays out at Stu’s house, from Tatum’s death, to Randy’s speech about the Horror movie rules, to Stu and Billy stabbing each other, and so many other moments, are tremendous viewing. It’s this 40 minute sprint and the start of the movie that really elevates this movie to a level above just average. They make this movie a classic. That may be hard to digest. Out of 1 hour 50 minutes just 50 minutes are good? No. Those 50 minutes are outstanding. The other hour depends on your taste. 

In my opinion Scream isn’t just good, it’s great. It helped reinvigorate the fading horror genre in 1996, and it still stands up today. It has a couple of flaws yes, but it more than makes up for them with some truly great performances from its cast, some absolutely iconic moments, and a genre altering approach that has been copied numerous times since. I think this movie is absolutely essential for any horror fan, but has even broader appeal. It’s a great watch on almost any occasion, and is just a well made film that kept me sucked in the entirety of its run time. This movie is great for a rewatch after you’ve gone back and watched the horror classics that preceded it. Ultimately though your enjoyment of this film will boil down to how much you enjoy the hour in-between the best bits. If you’re looking for just a straight horror film this mightn’t stand up, but if you enjoy some creativity within the genre this might become one of your favourite films. 

I rate Scream as:

A Masterpiece
Essential Viewing
Recommended
Meh
Garbage