Critics Weigh In On 'Scream' 5: 'It Doesn't Cut Deep'
By Kristin Myers on January 15, 2022 at 11:22 AM EST
Although the 2022 version of “Scream” shares the same title as its 1996 predecessor, fans have been calling the film “Scream 5” to separate it from the first film in the franchise.
The film follows the story of Sidney Prescott, who constantly finds herself surrounded by a string of murders by the notorious Ghostface. Sidney received support from policeman Dewey Riley, reporter Gale Weathers, and various friends and romantic partners that never seem to survive for very long.
The original “Scream” was the highest-grossing slasher film until the “Halloween” reboot in 2018. The second film in the series, “Scream 2,” came out less than a year after the first, in December 1997. “Scream 3,” which was released on February 4, 2000, was thought to be the end of the trilogy, until “Scream 4” came out over a decade later in April 2011.
There was also a “Scream” TV series that ran for three seasons on MTV from 2015 to 2019.
What Is ‘Scream 5’ About?
The official synopsis for the movie reads: “Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, Calif., a new killer dons the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town's deadly past.”
The film features the three main leads returning to reprise their roles. Neve Campbell returns as Sidney Prescott, Courteney Cox returns as Gale Weathers, and David Arquette returns as Dewey Riley.
The movie also features Melissa Barrera as Sam Carpenter, Kyle Gallner as Vince Schneider, and Mason Gooding as Chad Meeks-Martin.
This film is directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. Director Wes Craven had directed the first four films in the franchise.
So What Do Critics Think Of ‘Scream 5’?
On Rotten Tomatoes, the latest “Scream” entry received a 76% approval rating for critics and a 86% score from audiences.
Olly Richards of Time Out called the movie, “Inventive, incisive and full of affection for the originals, this is easily the most fun the series has been since Scream 2.”
Esther Zuckerman of Thrillist wrote, “The challenge for any Scream movie is whether it can comment on tropes while still subverting them, and 2022's incarnation succeeds by tossing a cheeky middle finger to its fans but still lovingly embracing them.”
Peter Travers of ABC news wrote, “Way fiercer and funnier than a fourth sequel has any right to be. Here's 'Scream' for a new generation - so self-aware that it mocks itself for relying on borrowed inspiration while squeezing the golden goose for one last payoff.”
Still, not all critics were on board.
Candice Frederick of Huffington Post called the movie “a foolish knockoff that tries desperately to become a clone of the OG film for a new generation despite not being fresh, smart, or even fully coherent at times. Though, again, it's called ‘Scream,’ it borders more on shrill.”
Bilge Ebiri of Vulture wrote, “This new Scream is so determined to be a Scream movie that it forgets the primary, unstated rule established by the original Scream: You can sell anything to us, so long as you make it scary.”
Kristy Puchko of Mashable wrote, “Sure, this Scream delivers in chills, thrills, and darkly funny moments. But its ending is less haunting than hectic. So, in the end, it doesn't cut deep.”
What Did Audiences Think Of ‘Scream 5’?
Audiences thought that “Scream 5” was a “great return to the franchise,” according to one fan.
Another fan wrote, “Probably my second favorite film in the franchise. It does the original justice while also introducing some newness with a fresh storyline and cast. It’s definitely worth watching.”
“This movie absolutely left me excited for the next scene,” another fan wrote. “I believe it ties everyone in wonderfully, from the seasoned Scream fanatics, to the newcomers seeing this franchise for the very first time. [A] wonderful mix of refreshing old faces and fresh new ones. [Definitely] give it a watch!”
Although some fans loved the film, others still saw room for improvement.
“Not as good as the first four Scream movies but it did a good job tying all the characters together in this movie,” another fan commented. “I think the killer profiles could have been developed more.”
“While the movie has great bloody kills, pokes fun at its own franchise and gives nice homage to other horror classics, there’s just too many issues within the movie when it involved certain situations to give any higher than a 40,” another wrote. “It’s a nice fun horror and if you’re a fan of ‘Scream’ you will probably enjoy this installment but it’s not the greatest and don’t try to understand how many of the situations happen.”
“Scream 5” is currently available to watch in theaters.
