Ghost Face(s) is on the loose once again. This time they come after not only the O.G. Final Girl of the series, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) but her teenage daughter Tatum (Isabel May) as well. Making it even harder to unmask the killers is the fact that they hide their identities behind AI technology.
It took a while for me to get around to seeing Scream 7. The early reviews were toxic, which was surprising, especially considering the fact that they brought Neve back to the franchise. Maybe it was the low expectations, but I thought this was one of the best entries in the series.
Maybe the hate was centered around the killers’ use of AI. I know it’s low hanging fruit, but I thought it was implemented well enough. I mean Ghost Face has always hidden behind a voice modulator. Hiding his face behind AI that alters his appearance on Face Time calls just feels like the next step in the technological order.
Having original screenwriter Kevin Williamson back to not only co-write the script, but direct was a no-brainer. I’m actually surprised it took them so long to bring him back to the franchise. He does a fine job behind the camera and delivers some solid suspense sequences. The opening set piece (set at the original Scream house, which has been retrofitted into an Airbnb) gets the movie off to a strong start. We also get fun stalk and slash scenes in a theater, behind a wall, and in a tavern. Williamson also ups the gore too and gives us at least one applause worthy death that plays like a riff on the famous kill from My Bloody Valentine.
The thing that makes the film work is that Sidney is once again front and center where she belongs. It’s a nice change of pace from all that “passing the torch” crap they have been trying to sell us for the past few entries. Just give her a daughter who’s a chip of the old block and have them kick Ghost Face’s butt together. Williamson keeps it simple and the results are damned entertaining, especially for a seventh entry in a long running slasher series.
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