New York. New Rules. New Ghostface. – ‘Scream VI’ Review

A bloody good time.

As die-hard Scream fans, my friend and I have been sharing theories and predictions for Scream VI since the first trailer came out.

The Scream movies – in their wonderfully meta ways – always question the integrity of sequels, remakes, and ‘re-quels’.

“How can they top the last film?”

This movie is no doubt the goriest one yet that Scream fans new and old will enjoy – even with the notable sad absence of the franchise’s iconic lead, Sidney Prescott.

It goes without saying that this review is a spoiler-free zone and will reference the previous films – at the bare minimum, watch Scream V before this one to get up to speed on what’s been happening!

Maybe this is the fan in me talking, but seeing Ghostface on the big screen is a must. Set in the city that never sleeps, you’d be forgiven to think that there’s safety in numbers – but that means there’s more opportunities for the killer to hide in plain sight.

Tara and Sam, and fellow survivors and friends Mindy and Chad, have probably done the most responsible thing that’s happened in any horror movie, and moved away from Woodsboro after the events of Scream V.

While some characters are ready to move on with their lives, it’s no surprise that the experiences they went through are pretty traumatic. Not only is Sam struggling to cope, but she’s battling fighting the connections she has to her father – Billy Loomis.

This secret family connection is now online, with the whole world creating theories and assumptions about the person she is, with many claiming that she was responsible for the 2022 Woodsboro murders. Gotta love the internet, right?

It’s hard not to see Jenna Ortega in this film without seeing her as a big sensation now after the success of Wednesday. Tara definitely plays a bigger role in this film, and the relationship between the two Carpenter sisters is strained with both girls dealing with their pasts in different ways.

The returning characters are great –I couldn’t get enough of Mindy, with her witty lines and unapologetic love for horror, she is just like her Uncle Randy.

Hayden Panettiere is back as badass Kirby Reid, and Courteney Cox’s as Gale Weathers is great, if not a little bittersweet as the only returning OG Scream character in the movie. In saying that, Gale has one of the best moments in the movie and I’m glad she gets the spotlight she loves and deserves.

The deaths in the movie are by far some of the most brutal, and the suspense had me holding my head in my hands – it’s so hard to watch in the best way. The story doesn't have as much as the corniness the movies indulge in, so I would consider it a darker turn for the franchise.

Fans of the Scream franchise will truly appreciate all the nods to the previous movies in Scream VI, which aren’t there just for a meaningless nostalgia trip – they make some really fun additions to the story.

My only question is – without giving anything away – how they would be approaching a potential Scream VII with the characters that survive at the end of the movie (ominous, I know). The films are fun on their own, but as much as I love the focus on Sam and Tara, there’s no doubt that Scream without Sidney feels… wrong?

Skeet Ulrich says Neve Campbell loves SCREAM 6:

"We were together over the weekend at a convention. She loves it; she loves what we've done. There were just business things as a businesswoman that are important to her, and we all stand behind her."

(Via: @people) #ScreamVI pic.twitter.com/WSVuxhFoVA

— CriticalOverlord (@CriticalOverlo3) March 7, 2023

Scream VI was another great addition to the franchise that will get your heart racing as it continues paves the way for the new generation of Scream fans, while still paying respect to the originals.

Oh, and there’s a post-credits scene BTW!

Ready to scream? Don’t forget to grab your $12.50 HOYTS tix here.

Header Image: Paramount Pictures.