Scream 3 (Film Review)
2000 Dimension Films
Directed by: Wes Craven; Written by: Ehren Kruger
Starring: David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox Arquette, Patrick Dempsey, Scott Foley, Lance Henriksen, Matt Keeslar, Jenny McCarthy, Emily Mortimer, Parker Posey, Deon Richmond, and Patrick Warburton
MPAA Rating: R; Running Time: 117 Minutes
The Nicsperiment Score: 7/10
Sidney Prescott hasn't exactly had an easy go of things.
Sidney's mother was not only murdered, but apparently doing a lot of stepping around on her father that Sidney was the last to know about. Then, Sidney's boyfriend (and another guy), wearing a mask inspired by Edvard Munch's The Scream, tried to kill her (after killing a bunch of her classmates). THEN, Sidney went off to college, hoping for a fresh start, only to
have the murderous mayhem follow here there. Now, she's far off the grid,
working as a women's abuse counselor by phone. The sensationalist "Stab" films
based upon her life are already up to to the third movie (just like a certain other
franchise). Suddenly, the murders begin again--and this killer, wearing the
same Scream mask, appears to be looking for Sidney. Wow, that felt like a lot just typing it. Did they really make a fourth one of these?
1996's Scream is one of the 90's best horror films. I know its direct sequel, 1997's Scream 2, has its fans, but I am not among them. I not only think 2 pales highly against the original film, but is goofy, dumb, and feels rushed. However, I surprisingly found myself enjoying this third film far more than I thought I would. Something about seeing Neve Campbell as the resourceful Sidney, along with Courtney Cox as the sleezy reporter, Gail Weathers, as well as David Arquette, as Cox's on-again/off-again bumbling, but lovable law enforcement officer, Dewey Riley, unite together in this film, just works for me (more than this sentence did, that's for sure). The majority of the film is set in Hollywood, and the twists here actually reflect on the #Metoo movement that would occur almost two decades later. New to the series writer, Ehren Kruger, does a great job creating the kind of dumb-smart material you'd want here. Characters do dumb stuff, and the villain's main gadget might as well be from a Bond film, but there are just enough smart touches, particularly those involving the Hollywood setting, and the super, mega-metaness around the plot and the first film-recreating Stab 3 movie sets (was this even a sentence?). Kruger also throws just about the right number of red herrings in to keep the viewer guessing without moving into overkill territory.
Maybe the slightly lighter touch here helps, as well. Scream 3 was released less than a year after Columbine, with studios trying to avoid gratuitous violence. While Scream 3's still got stabbing and bleeding, there's more comedy and a slightly airier feeling that befits its L.A. setting. With that said, there's still a definite horror and suspense around the murder scenes, particularly once the killer draws Sidney out of hiding. I also liked how this film ties together the original story, including a beyond death "trilogies" explanation tape from deceased series favorite, Randy. With these enjoyable elements coupled with some prescient Hollywood and cultural commentary (particularly considering that original Scream star, Rose McGowan, has been at the forefront of the #Metoo movement), I can easily say Scream 3 is my second favorite of the original trilogy, even with a few silly moments, and the fact that some quite familiar waters are being tread here (speaking of, what if they did a Scream movie on a boat?).
1996's Scream is one of the 90's best horror films. I know its direct sequel, 1997's Scream 2, has its fans, but I am not among them. I not only think 2 pales highly against the original film, but is goofy, dumb, and feels rushed. However, I surprisingly found myself enjoying this third film far more than I thought I would. Something about seeing Neve Campbell as the resourceful Sidney, along with Courtney Cox as the sleezy reporter, Gail Weathers, as well as David Arquette, as Cox's on-again/off-again bumbling, but lovable law enforcement officer, Dewey Riley, unite together in this film, just works for me (more than this sentence did, that's for sure). The majority of the film is set in Hollywood, and the twists here actually reflect on the #Metoo movement that would occur almost two decades later. New to the series writer, Ehren Kruger, does a great job creating the kind of dumb-smart material you'd want here. Characters do dumb stuff, and the villain's main gadget might as well be from a Bond film, but there are just enough smart touches, particularly those involving the Hollywood setting, and the super, mega-metaness around the plot and the first film-recreating Stab 3 movie sets (was this even a sentence?). Kruger also throws just about the right number of red herrings in to keep the viewer guessing without moving into overkill territory.
Maybe the slightly lighter touch here helps, as well. Scream 3 was released less than a year after Columbine, with studios trying to avoid gratuitous violence. While Scream 3's still got stabbing and bleeding, there's more comedy and a slightly airier feeling that befits its L.A. setting. With that said, there's still a definite horror and suspense around the murder scenes, particularly once the killer draws Sidney out of hiding. I also liked how this film ties together the original story, including a beyond death "trilogies" explanation tape from deceased series favorite, Randy. With these enjoyable elements coupled with some prescient Hollywood and cultural commentary (particularly considering that original Scream star, Rose McGowan, has been at the forefront of the #Metoo movement), I can easily say Scream 3 is my second favorite of the original trilogy, even with a few silly moments, and the fact that some quite familiar waters are being tread here (speaking of, what if they did a Scream movie on a boat?).
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