Archive for Scream

Scream 7 (2026) Review NO Spoilers

Posted in Scream 7 with tags , , , , , , on March 1, 2026 by The Late Night Horror Drive-In

NOTE: I rushed this review to get it up. At some point I’ll rewrite the review and go into more detail.

Scream 7

Going into Scream 7 I was quite excited as not just a fan of the series, but the return of Neve Campbell as well as Kevin Williamson writer of the first 2 films as well as Scream 4. Williamson not only returns to write, but also direct which is his first directorial effort since Teaching Mrs. Tingle back in 1999, which wasn’t a bad film but perhaps among his lesser efforts even if still fair. While I enjoyed Scream 5 and Scream 6 I do think the first 2 as well as the 4th were overall better and perhaps it wasn’t just Williamson’s involvement but director Wes Craven as well. Despite my initial excitement for over Scream 7 it is the 7th film in the series and that has to cause some concern. While the Friday the 13th films, Halloween and so forth may have remained enjoyable, but Scream while having similar aspects also differs and it might be a little harder to keep Scream as enjoyable. I mean even a lesser Friday the 13th is still quite fun and I suppose the same can be said about Scream but Scream is more than just a body count film.

Scream 7 was a troubled production, which lead to a rewrites and some of these issues impact the film. Originally Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega were part of Scream 7, but Barrera was fired and Ortega ended up dropping out. Christopher Landon was set to direct but eventually he dropped out, now enter Kevin Williamson returning and due to cast changes Scream 7 went through a major rewrite. The screenplay was written by Gary Busick and Kevin Williamson and while Scream 7 doesn’t feel disjointed but you can tell there were rewrites. 

The opening scene while effective really makes no sense with the rest of the film. Chad and Mindy seem a little out of place. My guess is they played a much larger part in the original draft, but due to rewrites their plot line was altered. Even Gail seems out of place as there’s really nothing for her to do except more or less recite the same basic dialogue as she did in past films. While I again enjoyed the 5th and 6th film, but I was neutral on the characters. Basically if they return that’s fine, but if they don’t that’s fine as well. I didn’t dislike the new characters but I wasn’t as invested in them. Scream 7 though probably has the weakest characters of the series. Tatum was similar to the Carpenter sisters and Chad and Mindy with if she lives for an 8th film that’s fine, but if she’s killed off that’s fine as well. The script also plays heavy on nostalgia with some scenes sort of recreating scenes from ghe original film but we kind of already did that in Scream 4. The nostalgia callback to past characters really doesn’t make a lot of sense with the reveal of Ghostface, which is easily the worst motive of the entire series. It really makes absolutely zero sense. You’re just left with really?? That’s the motive behind the killings in Scream 7???? I was hoping for one last twist, but no. The motive behind it was the actual motive with nobody else pulling the strings.

However, there’s a lot that Scream 7 gets right. As mentioned this was the first film directed by Kevin Williamson since Teaching Mrs. Tingle in 1999. But Williamson handles the production like a seasoned director. The kill scenes are graphic and some of the best of the series. Scream 7 is also a lot more sinister. Williamson takes the series in a semi new direction. This isn’t the fun, playful and scary Scream. The satirical nature of the series is kind of there, but not really. It’s a much more straight forward approach. While the Ghostface reveal was awful, but the scenes with Ghostface prior are some of the best as Ghostface is pertains at their most imposing. Again, this isn’t the playful Ghostface, it’s more sinister, which started in Scream 4, but this one Ghostface has little use for games. Outside of some video calls, there’s only 1 phone call from Ghostface. If anything Ghostface is more Michael Myers during the attack scenes. 

The return of Neve Campbell was very much welcomed and this might be Campbell’s best performance in not just the Scream films but in her career. In my opinion Neve Campbell is the ultimate scream queen and I loved every moment with Neve.

The biggest issue franchises have is at some point it gets stale even if still enjoyable. But rarely ever are any of these franchises successful at keeping to the core of the structure while adding in new elements and the film doesn’t resemble past films as it’s just too different. Scream 7 is able to still remain a Scream film despite more or less losing the satirical nature and playfulness. Style wise yeah Scream 7 very much differs without feeling like a film that doesn’t belong. It’s hard to explain as style wise it’s kind of unconnected yet still feels like Scream.

Scream 7 is a film that’s gonna draw mixed reviews. Again this isn’t the satirical and scary Scream, it’s a much more straight forward approach with a more sinister tone than past films. While the new characters weren’t all that strong, Chad, Mindy and Gail really don’t add much, but Scream 7 is still a solid film. It has its issues with the biggest being the awful reveal, which even positive reviews such as mine state. But despite the issues which do hinder the film to a degree, but Scream 7 is a solid entry with some great kills and suspense as well as the more sinister tone than past film.

3.5/5

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Scream (2022)

Posted in Scream (2022) with tags , , , , , , , on February 2, 2026 by The Late Night Horror Drive-In

Scream (2022)

Scream (2022) marked a successful return to the series after 11-years. Scream 4 took quite a drop in numbers from the previous 3 just breaking about even and when adding in worldwide numbers it didn’t even reach 100-million whereas the first two films grossed over 100-million just in domestic numbers alone and Scream 3 pulled in about 89-million domestic and over 100-million worldwide. Plans for a new trilogy within the series were than scrapped and the series sat idle for 11-years. While overall Scream is a solid film but it does have some issues. First issue is it’s one of those reboot sequels but unlike many others that ignore past movies, Scream is the 5th part as it doesn’t ignore anything. The problem here is Scream 4 pretty much already did the reboot sequel. The only real difference is while the 4th film focused pretty much evenly on the newer and returning characters, Scream puts more focus on the newer characters, which brings me to my next point.

The new characters are simply ok. I didn’t have the same attachment to them that I did past characters. Basically, I was neutral on who lived and who died. If all of the new characters are killed off that’s fine. If some survive. That’s fine as well. Characters such as Mindy while a fair enough character but she’s basically the new Randy, but we already had the new Randy in Scream 4 with Kirby.

What the 5th film gets right is the tone is more akin to the first 2. Ehren Kruger took over the writing for the 3rd film and he didn’t seem to get the material. Scream is a satire of sorts but is also a legit horror film whereas 3 felt more like a spoof. Apparently due to the columbine high school shooting the year prior to Scream 3, Dimension films wanted a lighter approach and at one point wanted the deaths off camera. I’m sure some of the issues with Scream 3 are due to that, but it just didn’t seem as Ehren Kruger fully grasped the material and perhaps due to the studio even Craven directs the film as goofy spoof at times with flashes of the classic Scream style. Scream 4 mostly fixes those issue to some degree with Kevin Williamson returning to write, but Scream 4 did have rewrites by Ehren Kruger who was also an executive producer on 4 and there was a bit of a tone clash as times Scream 4 felt like the first 2 and other times the 3rd. Also having a more sinister Ghostface also throws the tone off a little morewhen the film feels more spoof than satire.

Scream gets the concept properly as we have a film that’s much more akin to the first two films unlike 3 and doesn’t have issues with the tone like the 4th one does (though despite I do prefer 4 over 5 by a notch). So in that regard Scream is very much a return to form but for me it’s just hindered a little by simply ok characters and a plot that isn’t very different an idea than what we saw in Scream 4.

With all that said Scream is still a welcome addition to the series. I enjoyed this despite the issues I had.

3.5/5

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Scream 3 (2000) Review

Posted in Scream 3, Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , on January 22, 2026 by The Late Night Horror Drive-In

Scream 3

While not a bad movie, but Scream 3 is an average film that I’d rate towards the bottom of the series. Kevin Williamson writer of the first 2 films didn’t write Scream 3 and his loss very much impacts the film. Ehren Kruger wrote Scream 3 and it’s kinda fitting Wes Craven worked with someone with that last name. The issue here is I don’t think Ehren Kruger quite understood the Scream films. Scream 3 comes across as a parody of the Scream films and that’s the biggest mistake people often make. Films such as Student Bodies (1981) is a parody. The Scream films are satirical, but they’re also legit horror films.

Scream 3 feels like a spoof at times and perhaps that was the point? But the film is just a bit too silly at times with a needless backstory and a more needless twist at the end.

Wes Craven was a very odd filmmaker. He made some absolute gems, but he also had a lot of subpar films. Despite being a bit inconsistent, Craven was an overall wonderful filmmaker. Scream 3 is nowhere near the top of his filmography but it’s far from the bottom of the pack. It’s an overall fair film within in his career. Scream 3 lacks the suspense of the past 2. Sometimes you’re at the mercy of your script and the way Scream 3 was written I don’t think Craven could have played things too differently, but there are scenes that could have had some decent suspense but hindered by some silly aspects, which fall on Wes Craven.

Neve Campbell, David Arquette and Courtney Cox are again solid, but their characters are getting a little tiresome as the script really doesn’t give them much to do outside of the same things as the past 2 films. Parker Posey is the standout, but this is where again it’s more of a spoof than satire.

I do feel as if Ehren Kruger missed the point and takes the series too much down the silly spoof route and again needless backstories and needless twists.

By no means a bad film, but a very much average at best one. Even Craven can’t elevate this one besides average. Good overall but yeah very much average and towards the bottom of the series for me.

3/5

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My Film Franchise Rant

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , on January 18, 2026 by The Late Night Horror Drive-In

So here’s my little film rant on things that kinda bug me.

I get kind of annoyed when a franchise drops the number from its title only to bring it back a film or two later. Like Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter. The 4 isn’t listed which would be ok if it was indeed the final chapter or the rest of the films didn’t have a number. The 5th film sometimes has a V, but it’s usually just Friday the 13th: A New Beginning. The 6th film brings back the numbers.

Scream 5 is simply titled Scream. While it does make sense as it is relaunch of the series. While the past 4 films factor in but the 5th film is also a new start. Ok so it makes sense. So from a marketing side of things many franchises drop the number as the series goes on. But Scream 5 also due to again a new start. But it’s kind of annoying the 5th film is simply titled Scream and the 6th and 7th both have the number after the title.

While on the subject of using the same title. We have 3 films titled Halloween. Now it makes sense as the 2007 film is a remake so of course you wouldn’t have a number after it plus after Halloween 5 none of the films had a number after it. Plus with multiple timelines by the 07 film it makes even more sense to not have a number. Then we have Halloween 2018. The title also does make sense. Again. Multiple timelines so while it’s the 11th film within the series but it isn’t the 11th part. Like the 5th Scream film a few years after Halloween 2018, the 2018 Halloween is a direct sequel to the original but it’s also a relaunch of the series. (Yeah I know that’s worded weird. I’m fully aware Scream 5 ties into the first 4 and isn’t a direct sequel to the original. While I did mention that but the way I worded it when mentioning Halloween 2018 it sounds like I’m saying Scream 5 was also a direct sequel to the original Scream which I know it isn’t).

So while it makes sense 07 and 2018 were simply titled Halloween, it doesn’t change the fact it’s kind of annoying having 3 films in the series titled Halloween.

But out of all of these. My biggest gripe is Rob Zombie’s Halloween II as we now have two films titled Halloween II. While yes Zombie’s H2 is a sequel to his remake but there were 8 films that came before the remake therefore in no way shape or form should Zombie’s film be Halloween II. It’s the 10th film and yeah it’s not part 10 but it just bugs me it’s called H2 when there’s 9 films before it.

Also there’s the 4th Final Destination which is titled The Final Destination, followed by Final Destination 5.

But my biggest gripe is Zombie’s Halloween II and the Hatchet series. There’s Hatchet, Hatchet II, Hatchet III. So far so good here, but then the 4th is titled Victor Crowley. Couldn’t it have been called Hatchet: Victor Crowley or something like that?

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