Guest post: Scream 6 review by Peter J. Kenvin

"One of the biggest differences here is the darker tone." - Peter J. Kenvin

Photograph by Philippe Bossé

Occasionally on “when hope writes” I’ll publish guest posts by brilliant artists and writers. If you want to be a guest blogger on my Substack, please connect with me on Facebook, LinkedIn, or my website.

Today I’m sharing a wonderful review of Scream 6 by the talented writer, artist, and content creator Peter J. Kenvin.

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Scream 6 review

Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillet, the same pairing that directed Scream (2022), Scream 6 is notable for being set in New York rather than Woodsboro or Windsor college or Hollywood, as the previous films were. Also, this is the first Scream movie without Neve Campbell—no Sidney this time, though she is mentioned. Kirby from Scream 4 returns for this instalment however, and it’s remarkable how different Hayden Panitierre looks with different hair.

The story focusses on the survivors from the last movie known as The Core Four (Chad gives them the nickname). It’s hard to talk about the plot really, as there are a few spoilers to be dealt with, but this may be one of the more polarising films in the franchise as a whole. It has a different feel to it, though the essence of the story is similar to another entry in the series. The only character that returns from the original Scream from 1996 is Gale Weathers played ably as always by Courtney Cox. Though while she has an important role, her screen time amounts to little more than a cameo. Billy Loomis makes an appearance as a hallucination rather than as a living character, but he doesn’t provide that much to the story really; it was determined that Sam is his daughter in the last film.

One of the biggest differences here is the darker tone. It feels more like a horror movie rather than a horror comedy, and this maybe because of the increased brutality of some of the killings. It could also be because the portrayal of Ghost Face is one of the more intimidating in the franchise as a whole. The fact that it is set in New York adds a huge amount to the film as well, and the city is used brilliantly—from the opulence of the opening sequence to the alleyways, to the high-rise buildings, to the park and the metro system. The Big Apple is as important a character in this movie as any other, and it lends this entry a grittiness that the series often lacks. There is also more tension here than is typically found in a modern slasher movie, and there are some nice call backs to other films in the franchise too.

Also read: Guest post: Peter J. Kenvin's analysis of Observer

With all of this being said, of course, the film has its flaws. It is a slasher movie as stated above, and a Scream movie in particular, so how much weight to give to these flaws is debatable. Particularly given the fact that the Scream series tends to poke fun at many of the tropes inherent to the genre—people surviving horrific injuries, making seriously unwise decisions, et cetera. Credibility does seem to get stretched thin here though; there is a particular scene where a character suffers a wound that would probably leave them unable to stand, leave alone what they do in the film.  Some of the reactions of the characters seem unbelievable as well; while “survive now cry later” has been a big part of the genre since its inception, it does seem to be stretched almost to the point of incredulity given the characters’ level of emotional involvement with each other. It does support the idea that the city is an uncaring environment, and there is the ever-present fact that this is a Scream movie suggesting that many of the flaws may be included on purpose to an extent, but there is little room for manoeuvre.

Arguably, the most polarising element of this film is the end. The acting, particularly surrounding the killer’s reveal, is not worthy of the rest of the film, honestly. The motive is fine for a Scream movie, but the way the final scenes are portrayed can be seen as almost sophomoric. Clearly, this was done for a purpose: both the film makers and the actors are proficient enough to make different choices, but the tonal shift is pronounced and risks taking the viewer out of the story, especially given the darker tone of the rest of the film. The final battle feels rushed, and the aftermath is typical for this kind of movie—people sitting around with near fatal wounds, waxing philosophical about what just happened to them, before everyone goes to hospital.  Presumably, the characters go on to live happily ever after, at least until Scream 7, which I’m sure will appear in due time.

In closing, if you like the past Scream movies, you will probably enjoy this one, and it is certainly a worthy edition to the series. If you can look past its flaws, there is a lot of fun to be had here. And while it certainly gets away with a lot because of the franchise it’s a part of, it is a good example of a modern-day slasher movie.

My name is Peter J. Kenvin (the J stands for James). I am a 45-year-old man, living at home with my mum and 7 cats in South Wales in the UK. I have an undergraduate degree in English and Philosophy and Religious Studies, along with a post-grad in Computing. My interests include film, IT and writing.

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Peter J. Kenvin has a YouTube channel which you should absolutely check out here. There, he narrates books, does movie reviews, shows gameplays, talks about his health, and more.

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