Scream VI Movie Review: Jenna Ortega, Melissa Barrera’s Slasher Film is Franchise’s Most Satisfying and Goriest Sequel Yet! (LatestLY Exclusive)

Scream VI Movie Review: While Scream V was an enjoyable reinvigoration of the series, it still had some major flaws that prevented it from being the perfect reboot. So, I had my reservations going into Scream VI, and wow, did the film simply blow all of my expectations out of the water! "Go big or go home," is the mantra with which directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett approached Scream VI, and it made for the franchise's biggest and most satisfying sequel yet. Scream 5 Movie Review: Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox’s Fourth Sequel is a Stab-Happy Return to Form With Some Flaws! (LatestLY Exclusive).

Scream VI picks up a year later, with Sam (Melissa Barrera) and Tara (Jenna Ortega) and the other survivors of the previous Ghostface attack, as well as some new faces, trying to turn a new leaf in New York City. However, things take a turn for worse when Ghostface reappears and begins picking them off one by one. You might think the plot is pretty standard for a Scream movie, but the film generally surprises you in big ways.

If Scream V was an entrée, then Scream VI is a whole meal of its own. With Scream V, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett proved that they understand the franchise, and the bigger scope of Scream VI allows them to go all out. The best thing about Scream VI is that it finally allows the new cast of characters to come into their own, while the legacy characters take a back seat this time around. It just makes for a more well-rounded, perfectly paced story.

Sam and Tara, in particular, are given much-needed attention. They are still reeling from the effects of the previous attack, so there is some tension between them. The film is all about establishing the sisters as the new "Scream queens," and it pays off well, with both of them having a dynamic-duo feel to them in the film's later scenes. The side characters were quite impressive too with Mason Gooding’s Chad being a highlight. The only issue I had was with Josh Segarra's Danny, Sam's new boyfriend, and how that romance isn't given enough attention. There was some potential for a good emotional payoff there, but Scream VI never really held to it.

Watch the Trailer for Scream VI:

In terms of legacy characters, Courteney Cox returns as Gale Weathers, and she gets a really tasteful and intense scene midway through. Hayden Panettiere reprises her role as Kirby Reed too, and fans will be pleased to learn that she was well utilised in this film. The legacy characters were one of the main issues I had with Scream V, and this time around they seemed to have nailed the balance regarding whom to focus on more. It all feels very natural.

But, it’s a Scream movie, and you’re here to watch Ghostface chew up the scenery with his kills, and for what it's worth, I think Scream VI features the franchise's scariest Ghostface yet. We're dealing with a force of nature over here, and you can tell Roger L Jackson was having the time of his life recording the lines. He is brutal with his kills, and Scream VI just takes it a step further by amping up the gore. It feels like Ghostface's game, and I was very impressed with how this slasher icon was handled in that regard. The inevitable reveal this time around may be iffy for some, but I thought it was handled well and tied in nicely with Scream V.

Setting Scream VI in New York City was perhaps the best decision the filmmakers could have gone with. The movie almost treats the city as its own character, using the busy streets or the subway to deliver some of the franchise's most thrilling sequences yet, due to which the set pieces appear much larger, and the kills are just more innovative. One scene in particular, set in a general store, had me giddy in my seat, and the ending was the icing on the cake. Scream VI: Jenna Ortega, Melissa Barrera's Slasher Film Cleverly Parodies the Board Game 'Guess Who?' in New Poster (View Pic).

Scream VI also reduces the meta-commentary from Scream V. It's still there, and it can be annoying, but it's nowhere near as overbearing as it was in the previous entry, which I appreciate. There are also some great references and bits scattered throughout the film. It does an excellent job of introducing elements of the past while never allowing them to dominate the plot, and I believe Scream VI is one of the better examples of how to handle nostalgia. It just made for some of the best time I have had in a while watching a slasher movie.

Yay!

The New Cast Comes into Their Own

Ghostface

The Set Pieces

Handling of Legacy Characters

Nay!

Romance Subplot with Sam and Danny

Meta-Commentary Can Still be a Bit Annoying

Final Thoughts

Scream VI was a blast from start to finish. It almost feels like a passing-of-the-torch moment for the franchise, with a great story that helps the characters come into their own. This was a bloody good time at the movies, with one of the best Ghostface’s since probably Scream II. Scream VI is playing in theatres right now.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 10, 2023 12:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).