The story moves to Pine Grove, Indiana this time, and finds Sidney and her daughter Tatum (May) targeted by a new Ghostface killer - one that claims to be a ghost from Sidney's past. Now Sidney must face her past whilst protecting her family from a horror that has plagued her for decades. The Scream films usually find a solid reason for continued spates of Ghostface massacres occurring, despite being six films in with pretty much the same premise, and, whilst the familial angle for the attacks happening in Scream 7 makes sense, the execution and overall reveal of the motive were sadly flawed. In terms of the motive specifically? It's lacking...pretty badly. Scream 7 feels like the first film in the franchise where the concept and spark just aren't firing. That's not to say it is a bad film, there's plenty to enjoy, but the tone felt very different, as if Williamson wanted to make a family drama set in the world of Scream.

 

Alongside the family aspect, the film aims to highlight the use of AI across society whilst taking a swipe at the idea of nostalgia. The problem is neither are afforded the time or development needed to properly address the issues and instead felt perfunctory - especially the AI aspect. Without the satirical sharpness that has forged the backbone of the franchise, Scream 7 feels more like a simple slasher. The social commentary that supports the series feels more like an afterthought instead of the central driving force of the narrative. This seventh installment suffers from a preoccupation with its own past, becoming lost in a sea of references, and by constantly replicating the glories of what came before, it neglects the inventiveness and satirical bite necessary to keep a story fresh and relevant. Sidenote: I’m not sure I've ever heard New York mentioned so much in such a short space of time.

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Scream 7 also takes the weakest aspects of Scream VI in how its manages its major players. Every Scream film prior to VI had necessary loss, in order to further the story and really emphasise that nobody was exempt from the sharp end of Ghostface's blade, but that conviction isn't present here, which was hugely frustrating. Similarly frustrating was the film's handling of its large cast. Certain characters came and went for large chunks of the film with no explanation why and where, before reappearing later on as if they never went away.

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We all come to Scream though for the kills, the humour and the reveal of just who Ghostface is (or how many of them there are). The kills in Scream 7 are excellent, with a few eliciting genuine winces and groans from myself, and the opening sequence was brilliantly executed. This is a Ghostface that is simply not messing around and isn't interested in mercy - this Ghostface is downright brutal at times. If you're after blood and gore, you'll be satisfied with what you get from this entry. I also enjoyed the humour that was sprinkled throughout and that aspect remained a strong point for the film. Now I won't talk about the reveal, or even hint at the identity of Ghostface, but I will say that the entire final act was extremely lacklustre, and the weakest in the franchise by far. It left me genuinely concerned that the tank had run out of fuel in terms of the Scream franchise. The issues stem from the core mystery where Williamson and writer Guy Busick (Ready or Not) seemingly wrote themselves into a corner and couldn't find a way to navigate their way out of it, thus nullifying any emotional weight or shock from the finale. Multiple red herrings are one thing, but a sorely lacking and almost random payoff is another.

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Though the film is narratively flawed, you can always rely on Neve Campbell to bring the goods as Sidney. She has lived with this character for thirty years, and she delivers another solid performance to further cement her legacy in the genre. Courteney Cox continues her streak of being the only actor to appear in every Scream film and she is clearly having fun this time around. Gail's connection with Sidney feels as dynamic as ever, and the pair help to elevate the material. What the film needed more of was Chad (Gooding) and Mindy (Savoy Brown) - their chemistry remains fantastic, and, though they felt more dialled down here, they felt like a breath of fresh air (and what a beautiful pair of people). However, newcomer Isabel May and her character of Tatum receive a lack of depth or development, despite her being posited as one of the key players in the story. May is decent in the role, though.

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It’s another strong-looking film in the franchise, though. Ramsey Nickell's cinematography is decent and helps to provide some decent moments of aura and tension when our masked murderer is on the prowl, though I will say Pine Grove as a (fictional) setting lacked character. Marco Beltrami also returned to deliver another atmospheric and effective score, having composed every other film in the saga, aside from 2022's Scream and Scream VI.

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Whilst undoubtedly entertaining, due to its tonal misstep and lack of clear voice, Scream 7 feels like the first true disappointment of the franchise (despite people's opinions on Scream 3), though to say that after seven films, almost feels like a strange kind of positive. But even with that, it delivers enough of what we have come to expect to ensure the story, as thin as it is, has momentum before collapsing at the end. With an eighth film already in the works, one struggles to see where they can go next to revitalise the series, but, please - for the love of God - it's time to leave the central trauma angle in the past.